Newswise — Archaeological treasures from Annapolis " some never shown to the public " will be on display in a unique exhibit developed by the University of Maryland, the Banneker-Douglass Museum and the Annapolis mayor's office.
The exhibition includes a rare artifact from the American colonists' early rebellion against the British, as well as a publicly unseen relic of African spirit practices in Annapolis in the late 19th century.
The artifacts represent 27 years of excavations in the city by Archaeology in Annapolis, a joint project of the University of Maryland and the Historic Annapolis Foundation. Only bits and pieces from the nearly 50 digs have been shown publicly, and never displayed in a single, comprehensive exhibit.
Seeking Liberty: Annapolis, an Imagined Community offers a panoramic view of the city's history unearthed since 1981. The exhibit marks the 300th anniversary of the Annapolis Royal Charter and will be housed at the Banneker-Douglass Museum in the city's Historic District.
The 500 objects on display will demonstrate three major themes, according to guest curator Mark Leone, founder and director of Archaeology in Annapolis and a University of Maryland professor of anthropology:
--Annapolis' role as a major center of pre-Revolutionary War activity;--The African side of Annapolis history - it was not just a European city;--During the 250 years of history covered in the exhibit people from all backgrounds " men and women, white and black " vigorously pursued liberty.
Annapolis mayor Ellen Moyer, Banneker-Douglas Museum director Wendi Perry, and Maryland's Leone will open the exhibit to the public on Tuesday, March 4 at the Museum. It will close on Nov. 29, 2008.
The rarest item " the centerpiece of the exhibit " is the "Death's Head" stamp excavated at the site of the Jonas Green print shop. It is an artifact from the colonists' rebellion against the Stamp Act, and has had only limited public exposure.
"Colonial Annapolis rivaled Philadelphia and Boston as a center in the movements that led to revolution," Leone says. "The fight reached beyond John Adam's Boston and Ben Franklin's Philadelphia. Liberty was a highly prized ideal among people of all backgrounds in Annapolis, including African Americans."
The exhibit will display items from the caches of African American history recovered from sites around the Historic District. These provide extensive evidence of African spirit practices, such as Hoodoo, that lasted through the 19th and into the 20th century.
Among the many treasures never seen by the public is an elaborate "cosmogram" " an oval-shaped Hoodoo shrine. Inside the oval, hundreds of everyday items, such as glass, ceramics, beads, feathers and pins, are carefully arrayed to influence the spirit world.
It was found under the floor at the Brice House, and Leone dates it to the late 19th century. The cosmogram appears to have been maintained over a 40-year period, probably by a traditional healer.
At the Maynard-Burgess House, a middle class home owned by free African Americans, the archaeologists recovered a number of bottles that show them using national brands of food and patent medicine. This enabled them to bypass some of the prejudice they encountered in retail stores, and ensured a measure of quality and fair price.
"If we've learned anything from 27 years of archaeology here, it's that behind the mask of the European city was a strong African American culture that persisted and helped shape Annapolis," Leone adds.
Among the sites represented in the exhibit are the Governor Calvert House, Jonas Green print shop, Maynard-Burgess House, Reynolds Tavern and the Brice House.
"This will be an exciting year with lots of opportunities to celebrate the past," says Mayor Ellen Moyer, "but this exhibit has unique power to bring all the diverse strands of our history into focus. This exhibition showcases a strong partnership between the business community, non profits and government to preserve and build the awareness and appreciation of lesser known or visited heritage resources."
The Banneker-Douglass Museum serves as the state's official repository of African American material culture. "This will be the largest archaeological exhibit in our museum's history, and it vividly demonstrates the complex cultural interactions that span the city's 300 years," says Amelia Harris, the museum's exhibitions specialist.
Media Preview: Monday, March 3, 10 a.m. to noon.Opening Event: Tuesday, March 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.Location: Banneker-Douglass Museum, 84 Franklin Street, Annapolis (off Church Circle in the Annapolis historic district). http://www.bdmuseum.com/
SPONSORS
Major support for the exhibition comes from the First Lady's Office Preserve America Program, administered through the National Park Service. ARINC Corporation has also contributed a major share of the matching funds. Additional funding provided by the City of Annapolis.
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