Public archaeology is not an accessible area of archaeology to define, but for this article, I define it as the use of multiple perspectives and voices among professionals, the public, and descendant communities to better understand the past. In this way, archaeological professionals are no longer the harbingers of all knowledge, and archaeology becomes more active and relevant today. However, public archaeology can also make archaeological practice surprising and organic as we begin to break down traditional hierarchical barriers of the discipline. I make it a point to always wear my “public archaeology hat” when I visit new places, and people, and interact with objects of the past. This keeps me open to possibilities I never thought possible and extends my social networks far beyond traditional archeological methods. This was the case when I met Debbie Cosey, the owner and conservator of the Concord Quarters, a late eighteenth century plantation site in Natchez, MS.
The funny thing is that when I first met Debbie Cosey, I did not know the historical and cultural significance of the famous Concord Quarters. Initially, I was in Natchez with Jessica Crawford, an archaeologist for the Archaeological Conservancy, to conduct ground penetrating radar on a Woodland period mound site in collaboration with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Jessica knew a great deal about Natchez’s history and the best places to stay overnight. This happened to be the Concord Quarters, which Debbie and her husband Gregory Cosey turned into a bed-and-breakfast. Once our mound project was complete, I met Jessica at Concord and quickly became entangled with the stories of Concord from Debbie, whose ancestors were once enslaved there.
I think it is essential here to make a quick but relatable caveat. If you are reading this article and are interested in public archaeology, there are two attributes that you always need to carry in your “archaeology hat.” Those are transparency and trust. As community-oriented archaeologists, we need to be transparent about who we are and our objectives for any project. The more transparent we are and the more we involve the broader public and/or descendant communities in our research agendas, what culminates is an equitable distribution of trust between all stakeholders. It is at these moments that we see the power of more engaged archaeological practice, and I may be so bold as to say – it just makes archaeology so wonderfully fun!
It did not take long for Debbie and me to distill this type of trust and friendship, probably sometime between her homemade blackberry muffins or Gregory’s freshly pressed coffee. Debbie, Jessica, and I talked for hours about the history of Concord. I soon realized how special this place was and was surprised that no archaeological work had been conducted there. Debbie had heard about other public archaeology projects in which Jessica and I participated, and she saw the benefits of a public-oriented archaeology project for Concord. When Debbie is excited, the entire room and people within a mile radius can feel that excitement. I shared her enthusiasm when she asked me if I would be interested in holding a field school there the following summer. I quickly said (maybe screamed a little) yes and began working with Debbie, Natchez communities, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Archaeological Conservancy, the Natchez Historical Society, and the National Park Service to co-develop one of the most publicly immersive field schools of my professional career.
The Beginnings of Concord’s Public Archaeology Field School
I remember calling Debbie to state that the field school had been approved. She physically had to sit down because of her excitement and disbelief. She told me that in the back of her mind, she did not think this would come to fruition. However, it soon sunk in that the field school would happen in June 2022. Soon, local newspapers, journalists, and news stations began to advertise the field school and that it was open to the public to participate in discovering the history, especially the enslaved histories, at Concord. It did not take long for Debbie’s bed-and-breakfast to be booked solid for the entire month during the field school.
Once our student housing was established (which was graciously provided by the Natchez Historical Society), Debbie, Jessica, and I needed to determine which areas of the site the field school would investigate. Debbie had four primary goals for the field school: (1) find the footprint of where the main house stood; (2) locate any cisterns; (3) excavate the smokehouse; and (4) locate any evidence of the enslaved dependency, often referred to as the kitchenhouse.
A Brief History of Concord Quarters
The Concord Quarters site (Figure 1) was constructed in 1794-95 by Manuel Gayoso, the first Mayor of Natchez, and his wife, Margaret Cyrilla Watts, who were granted 1,242 acres of land to build the main house called Concord (Figure 2). After the death of Gayoso, an old friend and ally, Stephen Minor, and his wife, Katherine Minor, purchased Concord Quarters. In 1819, the Minors added a colonnade around the house and the two brick dependencies behind the house consisted of a main house (See Figure 1). At one point, the Minors had over 160 enslaved individuals who lived and worked at Concord. In the early twentieth century, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the main house and one of the adjacent dependencies (the kitchenhouse), leaving one standing dependency and a single column base that was uncovered during excavations. Debbie and Gregory Cosey turned the standing dependency into a bed and breakfast.
Figure 1. Planview map showing Concord Quarters layout and excavation units.
Figure 2. Photograph of the main house in the late 1800s (photo courtesy of the Natchez Historical Society).
Learning from the Descendant Communities and the Public
Collaboration with landowners whose ancestors were enslaved at Concord and local communities was vital to holistically understanding the history of the lives of enslaved individuals. Each Thursday at the field school, the public was invited to the site to learn more about Concord and those who lived and worked there (Figure 3). They could also contribute to the excavation process and interpretation of the site. We hosted over 2,000 visitors throughout the field school, many of whom brought their histories, stories, and photographs of Concord. Many of the historical photographs had never been seen by the archaeological community. For instance, several photos showed the exact location of the Concord Quarter’s main house, which was previously unknown. These photographs and testimonials were recorded and are now stored at the Natchez Historical Society.
Figure 3. Public Archaeology moments at the Concord Quarters field school; (left) community gardening and beautifying historic features; (middle) Public archaeology materials used to talk to the public about the history of Concord Quarters; (right) elementary students helping to sift and find artifacts.
Public Archaeology Discoveries
As Debbie hoped, we uncovered much about Concord’s history and material culture that had never been seen before. We discovered unknown features associated with enslaved life at Concord Quarters, which included two large cisterns that were buried and forgotten, a smokehouse directly associated with the standing dependency, and the last remaining column base from the second dependency (also referred as the enslaved kitchen house) that burned in the fire of 1901. The features were so well preserved that the Coseys decided they wanted all to be permanently opened so visitors could directly see and learn about the history of Concord.
It is important to take some time here to discuss each feature, because the public and descendant communities helped not only excavate and sift through endless soils but also locate the features with their memories, stories, and photographs. The northern, bell-shaped cistern (Figure 4) is one of the largest known cisterns in Natchez. The cistern had sand or gravel on the bottom, filtering the water until the early 20th century when it was no longer used and was backfilled. Artifacts uncovered include ceramic sherds, oyster shells, milk bottles, glazed bricks, and bricks with fingerprint indentations of likely enslaved youth tasked with producing bricks on site.
Figure 4. Photo and planview map of the large cistern in the northwest area of the site.
The cistern in the southwest area of the site is approximately 50% smaller than the northern cistern (Figure 5). Artifacts uncovered from the southern cistern are similar to those found in the northern cistern but also included an early nineteenth century iron chisel and lead bullets likely used by Union soldiers stationed near Concord during the Civil War.
Figure 5. Photograph and planview map of Concord Quarters’ most southern cistern.
The Concord Smokehouse, constructed in the early-to-mid nineteenth century, was in front of the last standing enslaved dwelling, now the bed and breakfast (Figure 6). Historically, smokehouses were used to preserve and store meat for the occupants of the main house. Historical and archaeological evidence indicates that the smokehouse continued to be used until the early twentieth century. Recovered artifacts showcased the range of activities in which enslaved individuals participated. Artifacts included domestic objects, such as cut animal bone, jewelry, children’s toys, ceramic serving vessels, and a possible silver mourning locket. Other twentieth century artifacts included makeup, medicinal containers, and ointment bottles that indicate that the smokehouse was used in some capacity through the 1930s.
Figure 6. Historic photograph of the Smokehouse and planview map of the smokehouse floor.
The second dependency that burned in 1901 was an enslaved dwelling, representing a place where people lived, worked, and raised their families (Figure 7). This place was most important to the Cosey family, as there are no known photographs and very little historical information about it. Moreover, the area between the two dependencies has been dramatically cut back in the last two decades to make room for other structures and the construction of a side road. Thus, initially, we believed that the burned kitchenhouse was completely destroyed and removed from history. However, ground penetrating radar and excavations revealed that the last remaining southwest column base was preserved.
Figure 7. Jessica Crawford (left), field school students, and public volunteers mapping the floor of the last remaining column base of the kitchenhouse that burned ca.1901.
The feature and associated artifacts showed evidence of intense burning, likely related to the 1901 fire that destroyed the kitchenhouse. Thousands of early nineteenth century cut nails were found and looked like they had been buried. Evidence also showed that the bricks of the column were so intensely heated that the bricks re-vitrified and became glazed. Glass medicine bottles were melted around bricks and other building materials.
Material Culture Emphasizes Enslaved Life at Concord
Other artifacts showed the complex lives of enslaved people at Concord. With the public’s help, we discovered children’s toys, elaborately decorated lion head metal straps, glass mineral water bottles, and a mixture of inexpensive and expensive ceramic wares. One of the most surprising discoveries from the kitchenhouse was two wonderfully preserved handmade silver rings (Figure 8). The rings appeared to have been made from leftover silver from kitchen utensils and were hand hammered. This suggests these rings were made and owned by enslaved individuals. Perhaps with more research, we will be able to discover the owners of these rings. I remember as Debbie held these rings, she became quite emotional. She believes these rings were owned by a married enslaved couple living and working at Concord.
Figure 8. Debbie Cosey holding the silver rings discovered in the kitchenhouse and a closeup view of one of the rings.
Making a Lasting Impression at Concord
As the field season was coming to an end, Debbie, Jessica, and I wanted to do something that would allow the public and future visitors to continue to learn what we discovered and the history of Concord through the voices of its descendants. Therefore, we came up with the idea to plant a garden in each of the five areas we excavated that would draw people to these spaces. Next, field school students, Debbie, Jessica, and I designed permanent interpretive panels at each of these spaces to create an interactive walking tour of Concord (Figure 9). Visitors continue to enjoy these today.
Figure 9. Interpretive walking tour at Concord Quarters.
Discussion
During our excavation at Concord, numerous artifacts were uncovered that highlight the distinct lives of enslaved people and the cultural heritage connections of descendant communities, which retain meaningful historical and ancestral ties to Concord. Without them, our understanding and discoveries of the history and lives of Concord would not be complete. Bricks made on the Concord property by enslaved individuals show clear indentations of fingerprints left in the soft clay before firing (Figure 8), while other material cultures, like animal bones and oyster shells, help to shed light on enslaved people’s food habits. Focusing on these objects offers an often-overlooked perspective on the lives of all inhabitants, including the untold stories of the enslaved individuals who resided there. As Debbie held a brick with a child’s fingerprints, an object she and Gregory had always wanted to find, she stated she felt close to the spirit of her ancestors. I think moments like this show the power of objects of the past when they are reconnected with descendant communities who have such strong connections to people, places, and things.
Figure 8. (left) Brick with a central thumbprint of enslaved youth, likely denoting the number of bricks made that day; (right) Debbie Cosey placing her thumb on the thumbprint as a way in which to connect with her ancestors.
Working with the landowners, Debbie and Greg Cosey, along with the broader Natchez community, created an opportunity to understand how archaeology can benefit descendant communities, and, more importantly, how archaeologists can learn, appreciate, and incorporate descendent voices and ways of knowing. The community-based work at Concord was an honor and a privilege and an opportunity to contribute to, as Debbie Cosey would say, “bringing light to the spirits” (personal communication, 2022) (Figure 9).
Figure 9. Group photograph of field school crew and Debbie and Gregory Cosey at Concord Quarters.
Conclusions
The involvement of many communities and voices at the beginning of field school development emphasizes a more equitable archaeology. It is the most innovative way of gaining new knowledge (e.g., archaeologists learning from descendant communities). The Concord Quarters field school shows that drawing on the rich resources of descendants is key to promoting a more engaged and active archaeology. Welcoming the voices of descendants, like Debbie and Gregory Cosey, to better understand the meaning of enslaved life and the strands of memories and experiences still so heavily connected within contemporary familial and community-centered contexts significantly improved archaeological practice empirically, conceptually, and methodologically. This approach has also made many of us realize that it is not just interdisciplinary collaborations that need to be at the core of archaeological inquiries but also that we need to work harder to develop intellectual partnerships with descendant communities.
Student Call Out
While working with the public and descendant communities, it is also important to acknowledge that students who participate in field schools are vital contributors to the acquisition of archaeological and historical knowledge. Appreciating their individuality and strengths is crucial to develop the most supportive and inclusive field schools. Aaron Patton, a student at the University of Oklahoma, attended the Concord Quarters Field School. Below is a summary of his experience.
Natchez Mississippi’s Concord Quarters was a deeply enriching archaeological experience through which I gained important archaeological skills, such as excavation, documentation, teamworking, and mapping. I also received first-hand knowledge of the history and material culture of 19th-century African American enslavement in the Southeast. In the first few weeks in the field, I spent much time excavating the southern brick cistern. Another student, Andrew, and I uncovered various artifacts and features, such as ceramic, brick, and iron artifacts, including nails from the previous standing dependency. We meticulously recorded the findings in our field journals daily, and mapped features and soil profiles. We also learned the importance of carefully storing artifacts in our labeled site bags to be later washed (during days excavation was not possible) and examined.
We visited many historic sites and other contemporaneous enslaved plantations, including the Melrose Plantation, to better understand possible activities and organization at Concord and the architectural layout. These trips were incredibly insightful in learning the reality of the enslaved lives they lived, worked, endured, and resisted. The second half of the field school would be spent behind the current standing dependency, where we excavated units to unveil the remains of a previous standing smokehouse, which was likely used by past enslaved individuals to store and prepare food products. Our findings in these units were filled with ceramics and other domestic objects that spanned over 150 years.
During our community archaeology days, sharing our findings with local Natchez youth, school children, and descendant communities was a privilege. This allowed us to engage with the general public and let them get their hands dirty to uncover more of the site’s incredible history.