Montpelier: Red Carnelian Ring

 

During our artifact handling class we were shown this red ring. At first glance, it does not look like much. It is perfectly round. Felt more like a mass manufactured plastic ring than a treasure. We were allowed to touch it. Hold it. The only thing we were not allowed to do was put it on our fingers. It is heading to an exhibit case soon in an exhibit on Religion Freedom.

Liz described it as a red Carnelian ring made out of quartz. It likely came from India or West Africa, from an enslaved person. It was passed down through the generations. It was found in kitchen in the South Yard, very close to the Main House.

Match that artifact with the oral history from a descendant of a lost red bead. She worked in the kitchen. 

Liz continued, last year a researcher studying Cornelian believed this was a hair bead. The researcher had a background in West African artifacts.

There was a bias in the Montpelier source testing. They were not looking at West African source materials.

It is too easy to look at something through your own lens. Once the lens was opened wider, they connected the lost "hair bead" to the found "red ring."