Untitled 1862 - 1872

This utilitarian jug was made in the Edgefield District of South Carolina, sometime in the 19th century. It is made of alkaline-glazed stoneware, a distinctive type of pottery produced in that region. The historical associations of this jug are complex. What makes it profoundly significant is that these vessels were produced almost entirely by enslaved African Americans. In a society built on chattel slavery, enslaved potters were skilled laborers, yet denied recognition, their names lost to history. Edgefield pottery, with its distinctive glaze, thus serves as a potent reminder of the economic and social structures of the Old South. These objects are now researched through archaeological records, historical documents, and the study of material culture, so that we can better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production in this period.