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Unveiling History: Discovery of Afro-Caribbean Pottery at Jackson Wall Manor

Recent archaeological digs at Jackson Wall Manor in the Cayman Islands have unearthed 15 pieces of Afro-Caribbean pottery, revealing significant insights into the lives and trade connections of enslaved individuals in the region. The research, spearheaded by Ph.D. candidate Elysia Petras and archaeologist Dr. Brandi MacDonald, indicates that this pottery, rather than being locally produced, hails from Jamaica, implying active inter-island trade involving local slaves.

Afro-Caribbean pottery is distinctive for being crafted by both enslaved and free potters of African descent, typically utilizing local clay and serving both practical household functions and market demands.

The excavation process took place at Jackson Wall Manor, a site steeped in history and currently overseen by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. Though only a staircase remains from the structure originally built in 1828, its archaeological potential prompted support from the Trust’s Historic Programs Manager, Stuart Wilson. He emphasized the manor’s significance as a window into the lives of enslaved people in the Cayman Islands, a history often overshadowed by the islands’ maritime activities.

Traditionally, the narrative around the Cayman Islands’ past has concentrated on its involvement in seafaring industries such as turtling and the salvaging of shipwrecks, leaving the critical role of slavery in the cotton and timber economies largely unexplored.

Wilson expressed a growing interest among locals regarding Jackson Wall Manor’s history, noting, “The site is one of the National Trust’s more obscure properties, and the period of slavery was not always discussed openly or readily. However, the time seems to have come when this part of our journey and its significance cannot be ignored.” He highlighted that many Caymanians, tracing their roots back to Jackson Wall, find the excavation fascinating as it sheds light on their shared heritage.

The property has a long history, traced back to its surveying in 1741 for Mary Bodden and later coming into the hands of Elizabeth Bodden and her husband, John Shearer Jackson, in 1774. Their son, James Shearer Jackson, began constructing the manor in 1828 after a term in prison for murder, and he owned at least six enslaved individuals as documented in records from April 1834.

The origins of the recently discovered pottery remain a topic of interest, with researchers speculating that one of the enslaved individuals may have brought the Afro-Caribbean shards to the manor. While various Caribbean islands produced similar pottery, it appears that the Cayman Islands did not engage in local pottery production, likely due to unsuitable clay or restrictions on accessing quality materials.

Petras posits that the trade for Jamaican pottery might have served not only practical needs but also connections to the enslaved individuals’ home communities. Citing historian Julius Scott’s work, she highlights that sailors would often exchange goods with enslaved people during voyages, allowing for the transfer of information and connections across islands. This dynamic could integrate cultural ties, with enslaved Caymanians maintaining links to their Jamaican roots through the acquisition of pottery.

Petras suggests that the active trade in pottery might reflect a resourceful adaptation by enslaved individuals to sustain meaningful relationships across distances. Such pottery could have been acquired in exchange for local crafts, like Silver thatch weaving, traditionally practiced in the region and passed down through generations.

Exploring specific examples, she notes that the pots were likely utilized for practical purposes such as water storage, an idea bolstered by a family heirloom pot, a Monkey Jar-style piece brought to the Cayman Islands from Jamaica in 1913. Historical accounts, like that of Edward Long in 1774, describe how enslaved Jamaicans crafted pottery designed to keep water fresh and cool for laborers working in the fields.

Considering that some of Jackson’s enslaved individuals, documented as field laborers, might have used similar pottery, the connection reinforces the significance of the archaeological findings in illuminating both daily life and trade practices of enslaved people in the Cayman Islands.

For more information: Elysia M. Petras et al, Neutron Activation Analysis Reveals Jamaican Origin of Afro-Caribbean Ware Excavated from the Cayman Islands, International Journal of Historical Archaeology (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s10761-024-00752-8

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phys.org