Heavy dark wooden chief's stool supported by a carving of a female figure. Origin Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
A minstrel stick puppet. Minstrel shows were a type of entertainment popular from the 1840s to as late as the 1960s that featured performers in blackface. Figure has movable parts connected by pins. The stick that is used to operate the puppet is broken off.
Wooden nkumbi household stool used in initiation with two pieces of wood lying on top; four legs, darker in color, curve upward, 3 holes in each side on the darker band of color; one piece of wood is inscribed "Innsbruck Sept 27 1953"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Front and interior views of a coiled basked made of sweetgrass, pine needle, and bulrush, sewn with palmetto leaf. Domed lid has a knob and is decorated with pine knots. Lid is connected by a hinge on one side and contains a protruding piece that fits into a loop on the other side, securing it when closed.
Ten-note barrel-shaped sound box, also known as board piano or thumb piano and lukembi, likembe, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; open at top and closed at bottom; one hole in bottom and one on back; semi-circular red markings on sides and top, rectangles etched on sides; metal wrapped around keys; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Twelve-note sound box, also known as thumb piano, board piano, lukembi, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; one hole on base and one on back; one key has a coil wrap; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks on back; origin Ngwanda people of Central Africa.
Miniature five-string harp with wooden arm and base; base covered with skin that has been nailed down, arm has leopard type decoration, base has markings, hole cut out on top of base; origin Mangbetu people of the Ituri forest.
Multiple views of a sweetgrass sewing basket with handles on a pedestal base; lid has open nipple and is decorated with six pine knots; basket contains some rows of pine needles and is sewn with palmetto leaves.
Wooden shelf from forward bulkhead in the submarine interior, found laying horizontal to the original upright orientation of the submarine. Possibly made of pine, approximately 1 inch thick, with cut-outs to fit in the bulkhead of the submarine. Images show wooden shelf within the submarine interior during excavation and wooden shelf after removal, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and freeze drying. Note the rust stains on both ends where bolts had been used to secure the shelf.
Carved statue of a woman wearing a raffia skirt and cowrie shell earrings. Tattoos mark her shoulders and her face is painted. Made of dark wood with a natural clay stand.
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, mouth is wide oval, eyes are a rectangle; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire.
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, openings for eyes, mouth has slight opening, showing teeth, crown on head; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Pende people (also of DRC).
Clutch purse made from light and dark colored straw and decorated with shells. Lined with brown silk. The straw was woven in Long Bay Cays and sold to craftswomen in Nassau. Originally purchased in the straw market of Nassau, Bahamas.
Processional cross designed to be worn on a staff. One side depicts a figure holding a Bible, and the other depicts the the Virgin and Child. Origin Ethiopia.
Purple, yellow, and green raffia handbag with red stitches; material sewn inside, outside decorated with flowers; two braided raffia handles; origin South India.
Wooden plank used as a bench for crew operating the crankshaft, with notches carved out to fit around the frame ring supports. Images show the third section of the bench alongside the second bench section within the submarine prior to removal and the 3 different sections of the bench after cleaning, conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol, and freeze drying. Note also the carving in the front of one of the sections, which was done by a crew member to better operate the aft ballast pump.
Cast iron cover from the starboard deadlight with rubber seal on the inside, removed from hinge on interior of the hull plate. Images show x-ray photograph of deadlight cover, deconcreted cover with rubber seal in place, and cover with rubber seal removed after conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology.
From Colin Turnbull's personal belongings; Brass water pitcher with ornate snake handle; main body of pitcher decorated with animals, trees, and a shrine; spout has bird and leaf motif.
Silver suspenders/braces clasp belonging to Lieutenant George E. Dixon, discovered with the straps’ rubber elastic fragments attached. Images show the clasp following removal from the submarine interior with rubber fragments still attached, close-up of reverse side of clasp with concretion partially removed by mechanical cleaning, close-up of engraved initials reading "G.E.D." on front face of clasp following mechanical cleaning, and full view of front face of the clasp following mechanical cleaning.
Wooden object, possibly a bucket or small cask, made up of staves with a solid wooden end forming the bottom. Images show some staves and wooden end of bucket in its initial location within the submarine interior sediment, staves and wooden end of bucket laid out following initial cleaning, with some staves still concreted together, and staves of bucket reconstructed with velcro bindings following conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol and freeze drying treatment.
Hammer made of wood and wrought iron, found laying against adjustable pipe wrench in the bottom of the submarine interior. Images show the initial location of the hammer on the submarine interior hull, the hammer concretion together with the pipe wrench following removal from the submarine, x-ray photograph of the hammer following separation from wrench concretion, and the hammer following partial deconcretion.
Open ended wrought iron pipe wrench. Images show heavily concreted wrench in its initial location on top of ballast block, and wrench after cleaning, deconcretion and conservation treatment with subcritical fluid technology. Second image shows the extremely fragile condition of the wrench following conservation.
Pencil composed of wood and coal, split into two halves. Images show the pencil pieces following its removal from the submarine interior sediment and pencil pieces following cleaning and freeze drying treatment.
Leather wallet belonging to one of the crew, made of two sides that fold in, once stitched together, and an additional pocket inside, with a reinforced band of leather for closing. Images show the wallet during the excavation of the submarine interior and the wallet following cleaning, conservation treatment, and freeze drying.
Large plank of wood, possibly pine, with an associated detached smaller plank, found in the submarine bow interior. Possibly cut from the same wood as the crew bench, the two pieces were nailed together at some point to construct and hold in place against an iron pipe the main seat for Lieutenant George E. Dixon. Images show wood bench in its initial location within the submarine interior, wood bench with detached support prior to deconcretion and cleaning, and deconcreted and reconstructed wood pieces following conservation treatment with polyethylene glycol.
Small silver identification anklet, possibly used to mark slaves with a history of escaping. Anklet contains a lock, key, and identification tag, which is blank. Manufactured by Hiatt.
Talking J.J. doll from the television show "Good Times" which aired on CBS from 1974 to 1979. The doll speaks nine different phrases when its string is pulled.
Circular winnowing basket; tightly woven, wrapped loop attached to rim and below rim is one solid piece of bamboo for stability; origin Mbo people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Five dollar bill issued by the Farmers & Exchange Bank of Charleston and dated September 28, 1853. Bill depicts an African American tending to a wagon pulled by oxen. Engraved by Toppan, Carpenter, Kasilear & Company, Philadelphia and New York.
A piece of bark cloth, a non-woven textile made by beating the inner bark of certain trees and bushes until it is fine and soft. Brown with darker brown geometric designs; orign Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
A piece of bark cloth, a non-woven textile made by beating the inner bark of certain trees and bushes until it is fine and soft. Brown with geometric squares; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Yellow, violet, and natural coiled raffia basket with two handles; tray-shaped, repetitive geometric decorations in natural raffia within violet bands, edge is three rows of tightly woven material with handles on either side, plain underside; origin Uganda.
Yellow, violet, and natural coiled raffia basket; repetitive geometric decorations in natural raffia within violet bands, edge is three rows of tightly woven material, plain underside; origin Uganda.