[Leica] PAW 3

[gregj.lorenzo at shaw.ca (GREG LORENZO)]

Chandos Michael Brown writes:


> We understand very little about these 'eggs' at present.  They do not
> appear to be organic, though there may be a clay slip over an actual
> goose egg shell.  The Arabic characters are incised into the 
> surface and
> are almost certainly prayers, as "Allah" seems a repetitive motif. 
> The
> style of the decoration suggests a West African origin, though 
> this is
> speculation.  Low-res x-ray reveals that they contain something 
> metallic(and they rattle when shaken); we'll know more when they 
> return from
> various x-ray and MRI examinations.  There're actually seven of 
> them, a
> number that is significant in various African contexts, and we 
> know as
> well that there're anthropological reports of similar objects in 
> ritualuse in North and West Africa into the early 20th c..  Dating 
> is also
> approximate as we have yet to establish the archeological environment
> within which they resided, though we know a bit about the plantation,
> its owners, and its slaves. All of this is shaping up to be a pretty
> long-term project.
> 
> It is a matter of some historical importance to establish the
> transmission of Arabic script literacy across the Black Atlantic 
> and to
> demonstrate its persistence, no matter how corrupted, among Black 
> Muslimslaves, of whom we no very little except that they existed.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+cmbrow=wm.edu@leica-users.org
> [lug-bounces+cmbrow=wm.edu@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of GREG
> LORENZO
> Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 3:27 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] PAW 3
> 
> Chandos Michael Brown writes in part
> 
> > These artifacts, which are currently the subject of
> > investigation, were recovered from a plantation site in coastal 
> South> Carolina.  Their purpose is presently unknown, but they are 
> remarkable> evidence of some degree of Arabic script literacy 
> among presumably
> > Muslim slaves in late 18th century North America.  This sort of
> > archeological evidence is fugitive, to say the least, and we are 
> very> excited to have acquired them.
> 
Chandos, you will have to keep us up on this as these items reveal more of 
their origin and purpose with further examination. As a student of history I 
thank you for posting these.

Regards,

Greg