Wonderful 19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Pan Recovered in East Tennessee

According to Paul Avery of Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky, "In 2013, C.R.A.  was contacted by the Tennessee Department of Transportation to conduct archaeological testing at a site in Knox County, Tennessee ahead of planned improvements. Local historians thought the site might have been the location of a colonial-era station known as Reynold's Station. 

Historical research indicated that the first inhabitant of the site was likely George Perry, who purchased the tract of land in 1799, and built a two story log house shortly thereafter. Although, little is known of Perry historically, he is believed to have owned as many as 24 slaves, making him one of the larger slave owners in East Tennessee. Perry died in 1836 and his 1,286 acres of land were purchased by William Pledge Harbison in 1842. Harbison was also a slave owner, but records indicate that he owned no more than five at one time. In 1865, Harbison divided his land holdings among his children, deeding 140 acres and the house to his daughter Sarah Harbison Neal. Sarah had married James Frank Neal in 1857, and they would live in her father's house until her death in 1923. At that time, the property passed out of the family through a series of trustee sales to O.M. and Eva Cardwell, who demolished the home and built a modern house in 1932."

Archaeologists recovered a wide range of artifacts from the Perry Site, which included every period of occupation from the prehistoric period through the twentieth century. Many of the artifacts were recovered from eight cellars, all of which likely dated from George Perry's occupancy, six of which are thought to have been below slave cabins.

The remains of this nineteenth century red earthenware pan adorned in various styles of slip-decoration was recovered from one of the cellar foudations, which seem to have been filled in before the Harbison occupancy in 1842.

The style of the slip certainly appears like it could be from Pennsylvania, but the marbled interior decoration found in the center of the pan was also a style produced in New Market, Virginia and Hagerstown, Maryland, among other places.

Slipware Pan Recovered in East Tennessee

19th Century Slip-Decorated Red Earthenware Pan Recovered in East Tennessee

Probably Made by a Mid-Atlantic Potter

Recovered from the George Perry Site in Knox County, TN

Circa 1799-1842

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc.

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