Description: Tiny metal hand and wrist holding a flat ribbon-like loop.
Historical Note: Tiny metal charms such as this have begun to be discovered during archaeological explorations of areas where slaves once lived. This one was unearthed in the slave quarter of The Hermitage, a plantation on the outskirts of Nashville that once belonged to President Andrew Jackson. Another tiny charm, stamped out of alloyed copper and meant to be held in the hand,has been found in Memphis, on the site of the Hilderbrand House, where the grounds housed at least five families of slaves in the 1850s. This artistically-forged image of a human fist appears to hold a lash. Interpretations based on early twentieth century oral history suggest that the clenched fist was commonly used as a symbolic defense against bad things.
Contributing Institution: The Hermitage
Rights: Images reproduced on this website are intended for individual, educational use only. For research inquiries about specific objects or requests for high resolution images, contact The Hermitage.
Digital Publisher: Digital Initiatives, James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University