Journal of Caribbean Archaeology Copyright 2008 ISSN 1524-4776 COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS OF FRENCH COLONIAL CERAMICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING TRADE AND EXCHANGE Kenneth G. Kelly Department of Anthropology University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 [email protected] Mark W. Hauser Department of Africana Studies University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 46556 [email protected] Christophe Descantes Michael D. Glascock Archaeological Research Facility Archaeometry Laboratory University of California–Berkeley University of Missouri Research Reactor 2251 College Building 1513 Research Park Drive Berkeley, CA 94720-1076 Columbia, MO 65211 [email protected] [email protected] There is a considerable literature that explores the significance of low-fired earthenware production as a component of African Diaspora identity creation and maintenance both in the West Indies and in the American Southeast. Yet very little analysis has gone into understanding the role of industrially-produced, low-fired, earthenware ceramics in the Caribbean. We believe that these ceramics may be an overlooked archaeological resource. Although they do not typically reflect the fairly rapid changes in style that make European ceramics useful for chronology building, and whereas they do not usually exhibit stylistic and morphological variations that enable clear identification of their origin, they were produced in great quantity and transported around the West Indies to serve a wide variety of uses. We suggest that industrially-produced, low-fired, earthenwares may provide us with more information than simply their functional purpose. They may also prove useful as a key aspect of material culture to aid in the reconstruction of trade and interaction patterns, dependant, of course on being able to identify the place of origin of these ceramics. This article discusses compositional analysis of archaeological ceramics and wasters (poorly fired ceramics) recovered from historic kiln sites on the islands of Martinique and the Guadeloupe Archipelago. Compositional data from kiln sites are then compared to ceramic sherds from excavated domestic contexts elsewhere on these islands to begin to reconstruct trade and exchange patterns during the French Colonial period. The results from these analyses not only point to expected routes of trade, but also routes which contravened colonial boundaries. ____________________________________________ Journal of Caribbean Archaeology, Special Publication #2, 2008 85 Compositional Analysis of French Colonial Ceramics Kelly et al. Historical archaeologists, ethnoarchaeologists, their origin through compositional analysis and ethnographers of material culture have that will allow archaeologists to use them to documented the presence and persistence of address anthropological questions of trade low-fired earthenware traditions on many and interaction rather than mere function. islands of the West Indies. Present day This project originated as one of us (Kelly) earthenware production is known from was recovering large quantities of low-fired, islands with colonial histories as diverse as but apparently industrially produced wares St. Lucia, Martinique, Nevis, St. Kitts, and (wheel-thrown, controlled firing, etc.) from Jamaica (Beuze 1990; Ebanks 1984, 2000; excavations at two plantation sites on England 1994; Heath 1988; Hoffman and Guadeloupe (Kelly and Gibson 2005). The Bright 2004). Low-fired earthenware also is sherds are similar to those observed on the known archaeologically from these islands, surface at two known pottery production sites as well as Antigua, St. Croix, Montserrat, and on the island. However, it was impossible to St. Martin (Gartley 1979; Handler 1963, ascertain their origin because they lacked any 1964; Heath 1990; Petersen et al. 1999). distinguishing characteristics. We later These low-fired earthenwares have been discussed this problem, and developed a studied by a number of scholars who have research plan to attempt sourcing sherds viewed their production and use as aspects of through petrographic analysis of thin identity creation and resistance throughout sections. We were subsequently approached African Diaspora related sites in the West by Christophe Descantes and invited to Indies and the Southeast United States (e.g., participate in a region-wide survey of Crane 1993; Ebanks 1984; England 1994; ceramics using instrumental neutron Ferguson 1992; Hauser and Armstrong 1999; activation analysis (INAA) which was Hauser and DeCorse 2003; Heath 1988; supported by the University of Missouri Mathewson 1972; Mouer et al. 1999; Research Reactor Center (MURR). This Petersen et al. 1999; ). However, an extensive allowed us to expand our samples and begin (indeed probably outnumbering hand-built addressing broader questions regarding ceramics) and potentially very important provenience and manufacture of ceramics. subset of low-fired earthenware production In 2004, we began this study of ceramic has generally been overlooked in production in the French West Indies by archaeological investigations of the collecting ceramic sherds from as many plantation-era West Indies. These wares, historic pottery production sites as we could produced industrially in the Caribbean, find on the islands of Guadeloupe and include sugar cones, drip pots, and other Martinique. Although some sites were little “industrial” ceramics used in the plantation more than large waster heaps associated with economies, as well as other forms, and are historically documented pottery production typically seen as evidence of the production sites, others were very impressive with of sugar. This stands in contrast to hand-built substantial standing remains. Of these, the wares that are usually seen as a product of Fidelin kiln on Terre de Bas, Les Saintes (a African inspired cultural resilience and small island in the southern portion of the creativity. In this article we explore how Guadeloupe archipelago, between these industrially produced low-fired Guadeloupe and Dominica) where there is a ceramics may be able to yield evidence of Journal of Caribbean Archaeology, Special Publication #2, 2008 86 Compositional Analysis of French Colonial Ceramics Kelly et al. Figure 1. Sampled sites in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and St Martin. double-chamber kiln, each chamber of which Context measures about 4 m square, and the still- Although locally- and regionally-produced active pottery at Trois Ilets, Martinique, are ceramics in the Caribbean have been studied most notable. The sherds collected from eight by a number of scholars (see Crane 1993; production sites (three on Guadeloupe, five Ebanks 1984, 2002; Handler 1963; 1964; on Martinique) were augmented by sherds Hauser and Armstrong 1999; Hauser and excavated from two plantation sites on DeCorse 2003; Heath 1988; Mathewson Guadeloupe, an urban site in Basse Terre, 1972; McCusick 1960; Petersen et al. 1999; Guadeloupe, a surface collection from the Vérin 1963 ), few have systematically island of St. Martin, and sherds of modern catalogued and completed compositional production in St. Anne, Martinique (Figure studies of these wares. During the eighteenth 1). In most cases these sherds were remains and nineteenth centuries, local earthenwares of industrial pottery vessels such as sugar were manufactured at scales of both craft and drip jars and sugar cones, although some industrial production as utilitarian household domestic wares such as cooking and serving wares for use by enslaved laborers and vessels and pitchers were included as well. others, and industrially as vessels used in the These samples were analyzed by INAA and processing and storing of sugar in the optical thin-section petrography to identify plantation industries. Among the few chemical, mineralogical, and physical compositional studies that have been composition properties. undertaken of either hand-built or wheel- Journal of Caribbean Archaeology, Special Publication #2, 2008 87 Compositional Analysis of French Colonial Ceramics Kelly et al. thrown earthenwares are those of Brian Crane Fidelin kiln site at Grande Baie on the island (1993), who analyzed a set of Criollo wares of Terre de Bas, Les Saintes (Figure 2). recovered from San Juan, Puerto Rico using Gabriel’s (2003) excavations produced a INAA in 1992; Mark Hauser (2001) who large number of ceramic sherds, but they completed petrographic analysis on similar have not been analyzed in any detailed or ceramics called Yabbas in Jamaica in 2001; systematic fashion. Hauser (2001) and and James Petersen and David Watters (1988; Mathew Reeves (1997) have both inferred see also Watters 1997) who petrographically that evidence of glazing on earthenware analyzed ceramics from Barbuda and ceramics recovered from Jamaica indicates Montserrat. However, none of these studies the use of kilns in their manufacture, but the have been integrated to consider regional production sites themselves remain unknown. interaction spheres between neighboring Therefore, the identification of the kiln sites islands. on Guadeloupe and Martinique used to Excavations from the French West Indies produce utilitarian wares is archaeologically (see Figure 1) have also produced a series of unique in the historic Caribbean, but remains local coarse earthenware. In Martinique, understudied in the French Antilles. We hope Suzannah England (1994) completed a that analysis of the ceramics from this French dissertation on a ceramic production site near industry can be used to help understand Trois Ilets at