West African Cosmogram Recognized adjacent to Probable Hearth Concealment at 19th-century Slave Quarter in midHudson Valley Settlement of early German Americans submitted by Christopher Lindner, Bard College $ %D.RQJR dikenga FRVPRJUDP KDV EHHQ UHFRJQL]HG RQ WKH YHUWLFDO ZRRG IUDPH RI D FHOODU ÀUHSODFH LQ D VODYH TXDUWHU DORQJ WKH +XGVRQ 5LYHU PLOHV QRUWK RI 0DQKDWWDQ 7KH HWFKHG FURVV ZLWKLQ D FLUFOH LV LQ LQ GLDPHWHU DQG LQ DERYH WKH KHDUWK DW LWV QRUWKHDVW FRUQHU +LJKHU E\ LQ LV D VLPLODUO\ SXQFWDWHG ÀJXUH VXJJHVWLYH RI D VDLOERDW $ERYH WKDW E\ LQ LV D WKLUG HWFKLQJ RI WKH VDPH OHQJWK WKDW FOHDUO\ GHSLFWV D VPRNLQJ SLSH ZLWK YHUWLFDO GHFRUDWLYH OLQHV RQ LWV ERZO RXW RI ZKLFK ULVHV D SOXPH RI VPRNH UHQGHUHG E\ UXEELQJ LQWR WKH ERDUG 7KH ÀJXUHV ZHUH FRYHUHG ZLWK D GXOO PHGLXP EURZQ SDLQW WKDW DSSHDUV WR KDYH EHHQ UDSLGO\ DQG LQFRPSOHWHO\ DSSOLHG WR WKH ÀUHSODFH IUDPH 7KH GLNHQJD ÀJXUH LV DW WKH QRUWKHDVW FRUQHU RI WKH KHDUWK XQGHU WKH KHDUWK·V VWRQH VODEV UHVW LWHPV WKDW PD\ EH nkisi VSLULW PDWHULDOV 7KRPSVRQ )HUJXVRQ )X .LDX /HRQH HW DO )HQQHOO &ROXPQLVW :DOWHU 0LOOHU WRZQ KLVWRULDQ ZURWH WKDW +HQU\ 3HUVRQV D ERDWPDQ LQ WKH FHQVXV DQG D VKRHPDNHU LQ WKH FHQVXVHV RI DQG SXUFKDVHG WKH KRXVH LQ IURP DQRWKHU SHUVRQ RI $IULFDQ $PHULFDQ DQFHVWU\ ZKR KDG DFTXLUHG LW IURP D 'XWFK $PHULFDQ
Volume 49: Number 1
SK\VLFLDQ ÀYH \HDUV HDUOLHU 7KH FRXQW\ KLVWRU\ E\ (OOLV TXRWHV D WRZQ UHFRUG WKDW LQ WKH ODWWHU·V PRWKHU FRVLJQHG WKH ELUWK UHFRUG RI D VODYH ZLWK DQRWKHU ZRPDQ ZKR WKDW VDPH \HDU SXUFKDVHG WKH KRXVH IURP WKH 5HIRUPHG 6DQFWLW\ &KXUFK RI *HUPDQWRZQ 0LOOHU $FFRUGLQJ WR JHQHDORJ\ ZHEVLWHV WKH SK\VLFLDQ·V PDWHUQDO JUDQGPRWKHU·V PDLGHQ QDPH ZDV 3HHUVHQ UDLVLQJ WKH SRVVLELOLW\ WKDW +HQU\ ZDV D GHVFHQGDQW RI KHU VODYHV 0LOOHU UHFRXQWV WKDW LQ KHU VLVWHU LQ ODZ KDG PDUULHG D &DOYLQLVW PLQLVWHU +H PD\ KDYH EHHQ UHVSRQVLEOH IRU FRQVWUXFWLRQ RI WKH KRXVH DV D SDUVRQDJH $IWHU KLV GHDWK LQ VKH GZHOW LQ D KRXVH DFURVV WKH URDG GUDZQ RQ WKH :LJUDP PDS 2·&DOODKDQ 1HZ <RUN KLVWRULDQ *UDKDP 5XVVHOO +RGJHV KDV ZULWWHQ KRZ WKH FRPPXQLW\·V RWKHU SDVWRU LQ WKH PLG WK FHQWXU\ D /XWKHUDQ NHSW D ¶PDLG· ZKRVH IDWKHU ZDV D VODYH IURP 0DGDJDVFDU DQG ZKRVH PRWKHU ZDV *HUPDQ $ WDU ÁRZ FRYHUV PDQ\ RI WKH KHDUWKVWRQHV DV WKRXJK D FDXOGURQ KDG VSLOOHG IURP RYHU D FHQWUDO ÀUH 1XPHURXV DQJXODU VDQGVWRQH URFNV SDFN WKH VSDFH EHQHDWK WKH ÀUHSODFH VODEV GRZQ WR EHGURFN RI JUH\ZDFNH DQG VKDOH EXW PDQ\ OLWHUV RI VHGLPHQW ZHUH H[FDYDWHG LQ IURP EHQHDWK WKH PLGGOH RI WKH ÀYH IURQW KHDUWKVWRQHV DQG XQGHU WKH WZR RXWVLGH FRUQHU VODEV 7KHVH VXEUHFWDQJXODU EORFNV DUH VWUHDP URXQGHG VDQGVWRQHV URXJKO\ WKUHH LQ WKLFN DQG UHVW HLWKHU RQ PXFK VPDOOHU URFNV EULFNV DQG VLOW\ VHGLPHQW RU RQ HGJHV RI WKH PLG WK FHQWXU\ FRQFUHWH ÁRRU 7KLV ÁRRU ZDV ODLG GRZQ WR UHSODFH D GLUW VXUIDFH WKDW ZDV UHSRUWHG E\ 0LOOHU WR KDYH EHHQ ÀUVW ´VLIWHG FDUHIXOO\µ IRU FRLQV %DUG &ROOHJH VWXGHQWV H[FDYDWHG EHQHDWK WKH KHDUWKVWRQHV LQ WKH IURQW FRUQHUV DQG PLGGOH E\ LQ DUELWUDU\ OHYHOV H[FHSW ZKHUH VWUDWXP FKDQJHV LQWHUYHQHG SORWWLQJ DURXQG RQH KXQGUHG QRWDEOH LWHPV WR WKH QHDUHVW KDOI LQFK SLFNLQJ PDQ\ PRUH RXW RI WKH VHGLPHQWV ZLWKRXW WKH XVH RI D VLIWHU VDYLQJ WKH QXPHURXV ÀOO URFNV DQG DUFKLYLQJ WKH VHGLPHQW IRU ÁRWDWLRQ DQDO\VLV 2WKHU OHVV UHPDUNDEOH LWHPV PD\ KDYH EHHQ VLPSO\ GRPHVWLF UHIXVH SDUWLFXODUO\ IURP IRRG SUHSDUDWLRQ $OPRVW DQ\ FRXOG UHSUHVHQW FRPPHQVDO URGHQW DFWLYLW\ DOWKRXJK QR QHVWV RU EXUURZV ZHUH LGHQWLÀ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ÀYH LQ EHORZ WKH VODE ZDV D ODUJH IUDJPHQW RI TXDUW] FU\VWDO D ERQH EXWWRQ ZLWK D EUDVV ORRS DQG DQ LURQ EDU %HWZHHQ DQG LQ EHORZ WKH VODE·V FHQWHU ZHUH WZR VFUDSV RI OHDWKHU DQG DQRWKHU TXDUW] FU\VWDO (OHYHQ FHUDPLF VKHUGV ZKLFK LQFOXGH ZKLWH HDUWKHQZDUH ZLWK D WUDQVIHU SULQWHG EURZQ GHVLJQ DQG SRO\FKURPH KDQGSDLQWHG ZKLWH HDUWKHQZDUH VHUYH WR GDWH WKH HPSODFHPHQW RI WKHVH PDWHULDOV LQ WKH V &RDO SLHFHV D TXDUWHU WR RQH KDOI LQ LQ GLDPHWHU QHDU WKH ERWWRP RI WKH LQ GHHS GHSRVLW VXJJHVW D GDWH RI WKH PLGGOH WR ODWH
Spring 2016
Page 28
ZHVWHUQ VLGH DQG DGMDFHQW QRUWKHUQ VLGH RI WKH VODE ZLWKLQ WZR LQ RI LWV HGJH HLWKHU XQGHU RU DURXQG WKLV KHDUWKVWRQH DQRWKHU QLQH PRUH VKDOORZ LWHPV ZHUH SORWWHG 7KHVH PDWHULDOV FRPSULVH D TXDUW] FU\VWDO D VKHOO EXWWRQ D JXQÁLQW RQH UXVW\ UHFWDQJXODU QDLO WZR VKHUGV RI FUHDPZDUH RQH SLHFH RI DTXD ÁDW JODVV RQH PDPPDO YHUWHEUD DQG D FOXPS RI ÀVK VFDOHV 7KH 3HUVRQV IDPLO\ RZQHG WKH 0DSOH $YHQXH 3DUVRQDJH XQWLO DIWHU ZKLFK LW VHUYHG DV D UHQWDO SURSHUW\ 3UHVHUYDWLRQLVWV RI *HUPDQ $PHULFDQ DQFHVWU\ )ULHGO DQG (GZDUG (NHUW ZLOOHG WKH KRXVH DQG \DUG WR WKH WRZQ LQ ([FDYDWLRQV E\ %DUG &ROOHJH VWXGHQWV LQ IRXQG FHUDPLFV LQ WKH SDUVRQDJH EXLOGHU·V WUHQFK LQGLFDWLYH RI FRQVWUXFWLRQ DURXQG 2XU WHVW WUHQFKHV LQ LWV IURQW \DUG RYHU WKH ODVW VL[ \HDUV KDYH GLVFRYHUHG D GU\ ODLG ZHOO DQG D EXULHG VWRQH IRXQGDWLRQ HYLGHQFH RI D SUHYLRXV GRPLFLOH RQ WKH VLWH IURP FD ZKHQ WKH FIGURE 1. Parsonage cellar fireplace, 84 inches wide. 'LNHQJD, right (N) FRPPXQLW\ JRW LWV VHFRQG UHVLGHQW PLQLVWHU DIWHU D TXDUWHU FHQWXU\ ZLWKRXW RQH 0LOOHU side of frame. (Photo by Caridad Cole.) &DGZDOODGHU &ROGHQ·V FRORQLDO ODQG JUDQW VXUYH\ RI .HOO\ GRFXPHQWV WKH SURSHUW\ DV GHFDGHV RI WKH WK FHQWXU\ HQWUXVWHG WR WKH 5HIRUPHG FRQJUHJDWLRQ LWV FKXUFK %HQHDWK WKH PLGGOH VODE RI WKH ÀYH IURQW KHDUWKVWRQHV DQG FHPHWHU\ RQH WKLUG RI D PLOH DZD\ GRZQ D JUDGXDO LQ ZLGH DQG LQ GHHS WRZDUG WKH EDFN RI WKH ÀUHSODFH ZHVW VORSH WRZDUG WKH +XGVRQ 7KH &DWVNLOO 0RXQWDLQV QRWDEOH PDWHULDOV SORW RXW DV WZR FOXVWHUV WKDW PLJKW UHÁHFW ORRP EH\RQG WKH QHDUHVW WKH\ DSSURDFK WKH ULYHU 7KLV UXUDO FRQFHDOPHQW IRU LQ DORQJ WKH ZHVWHUQ HGJH LWHPV ZHUH FRPPXQLW\ EHJDQ LQ DV WKH &DPSV WKH ÀUVW VXEVWDQWLDO LQ DQ DUHD LQ ZLGH DQG RQ WKH RWKHU VLGH RI D LQ ZLGH *HUPDQ VHWWOHPHQW LQ $PHULFD ZKHQ WKH %ULWLVK FRORQLDO ]RQH ZLWKRXW SORWWHG SLHFHV ZHUH PRUH VXFK LWHPV 7KH JRYHUQPHQW EURXJKW 5KHQLVK IDUPHUV WR WKH ORFDWLRQ ODWWHU ZHUH VSUHDG DFURVV LQ RI WKH HDVWHUQ VLGH RI WKH VSDFH WR KDUYHVW SLWFK SLQH IRU QDYDO VXSSOLHV XQGHU IRUFHG ODERU LQ DQ DUHD LQ ZLGH ,Q WKH IRUPHU ORFDWLRQ WKH PDWHULDOV FRQGLWLRQV 2WWHUQHVV $ ODUJH TXDUW] FU\VWDO ZDV PHDVXUHG IURP WKH VODE·V EDVH WR LQ GRZQ DQG LQ WKH ODWWHU H[FDYDWHG WKLV SDVW VXPPHU IURP WKH WK FHQWXU\ OD\HU ORFDWLRQ IURP WR LQ GRZQ ,Q WKH HDVWHUQ FOXVWHU ZHUH DW DQ RSHQLQJ LQ WKH \DUG·V EXULHG IRXQGDWLRQ SUREDEO\ SORWWHG VPDOO SLHFHV RI ZKLWH JODVV PXFK ODUJHU SLHFH RI D EXONKHDG 7KLV FRQFHDOPHQW FRXOG EH VXJJHVWLYH RI IRON DTXD WKLFN FXUYHG JODVV DQG D PXOWLIDFHWHG EOXH JODVV EHDG UHOLJLRXV SUDFWLFH E\ HDUO\ *HUPDQ UHVLGHQWV RIIHULQJV E\ D VLQJOH VKHUG HDFK RI EXII VWRQHZDUH ZKLWH HDUWKHQZDUH 0RKLFDQV IURP WKH V 0RUDYLDQ PLVVLRQ DW 6KHNRPHFR DQG UHGZDUH UXVW\ UHFWDQJXODU QDLO DQG SLHFH RI DTXD LQ QHDUE\ 3LQH 3ODLQV RU SURWHFWLYH PHGLFLQH RI HQVODYHG ÁDW JODVV SOXV D À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´7' ZUHDWKHG E\ VWDUVµ ZKLWH FOD\ SLSH RI VFKRODUVKLSV DQG H[KLELW SUHSDUDWLRQ *UDWLWXGH LV ERZO 0RVW QRWHZRUWK\ RI QXPHURXV LWHPV QRW SORWWHG ZHUH H[WHQGHG DOVR WR 'U 3DXO +XH\ IRU DUWLIDFW LGHQWLÀFDWLRQ DW VHYHQ SLQV WKH 1<6 %XUHDX RI +LVWRULF 6LWHV DQG 'U 0LFKDHO /XFDV RI 8QGHU DQG DURXQG WKH VRXWKHDVWHUQ VODE LQ ZLGH WKH 1<6 0XVHXP IRU KLV VLWH YLVLW DQG GLVFXVVLRQ RI GLNHQJD DFURVV WKH IURQW RI WKH KHDUWK E\ LQ WRZDUG WKH EDFN DQG QNLVL 2QOLQH YHUVLRQV RI WZR H[KLELWV RQ WKH SURMHFW·V ZHUH QXPHURXV HFRIDFWV QXWV VHHGV IUXLW SLWV ELUG ERQHV EDFNJURXQG DQG LQLWLDO H[FDYDWLRQV DUH DW LQVLGH EDUG HGX HJJVKHOO IUDJPHQWV PDPPDO ERQHV DQG ÀVK ERQHV DQG DUFKDHRORJ\ ,Q )HEUXDU\ WKH FODVV ´+LVWRULFDO $UFKDHRORJ\ VFDOHV $OO WKHVH HFRIDFWV ZHUH SUHVHQW XQGHU WKH RWKHU 0RKLFDQV &RORQLDO *HUPDQV DQG $IULFDQ $PHULFDQV QHDU WZR KHDUWKVWRQHV DV ZHOO 6WXGHQWV SORWWHG QRWDEOH %DUG µ ZLOO UHVXPH VWXG\ RI WKH KHDUWK DQG \DUG DW WKH LWHPV XQGHU WKLV FRUQHU VODE LQ LWV FHQWHU DQG HDVWHUQ WKLUG SDUVRQDJH ZKLOH DSSOLFDWLRQV DUH XQGHU UHYLHZ IRU D ÀHOG IURP VXUIDFH WR LQ GRZQ 7KHVH PDWHULDOV LQFOXGH WKUHH VFKRRO LQ -XO\ IRU FROOHJH FUHGLW VHH ZHEVLWH PDPPDO ERQHV WZR SLHFHV RI OHDWKHU D SHDUOZDUH VKHUG D SLHFH RI ZKLWH HDUWKHQZDUH KDQGSDLQWHG ZLWK EOXH WZR JUD\ References VDOWJOD]HG VWRQHZDUH VKHUGV ZLWK EOXH GHFRUDWLRQ D ERWWOH ULP DQG QHFN ZLWK KDQGOH DWWDFKPHQW DQG D VLPLODU KDQGOH (OOLV )UDQNOLQ IUDJPHQW DQG D ZRRGHQ VWRSSHU RU SHJ KHDG $ORQJ WKH
Volume 49: Number 1
Spring 2016
Page 29
+RGJHV *UDKDP 5XVVHOO 7KH 3DVWRU DQG WKH 3URVWLWXWH 6H[XDO 3RZHU DPRQJ $IULFDQ $PHULFDQV DQG *HUPDQV LQ &RORQLDO 1HZ <RUN ,Q Sex, Love, Race: Crossing Boundaries in North American History 0DUWKD +RGHV HGLWRU 1HZ <RUN 8QLYHUVLW\ 3UHVV 1< .HOO\ $UWKXU & 0 Settlers and Residents, Town of Germantown, 17101899 .LQVKLS 3UHVV 5KLQHEHFN 1< /HRQH 0DUN 3 *ODG\V 0DULH )U\ DQG 7LPRWK\ 5XSSHO 6SLULW 0DQDJHPHQW DPRQJ $PHULFDQV RI $IULFDQ 'HVFHQW ,Q Race and the Archaeology of Identity &KDUOHV ( 2UVHU -U HGLWRU SS ² 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 8WDK 3UHVV 6DOW /DNH &LW\
FIGURE 2. 'LNHQJD cosmogram, Parsonage fireplace frame, Germantown, New York. Diameter 3.5 inches.
0LOOHU :DOWHU 9 History of the 1746 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pfarrhausâ&#x20AC;?, Home of the Early Day Pastors of the Germantown Reformed Sanctity Church *HUPDQWRZQ +LVWRU\ 'HSDUWPHQW *HUPDQWRZQ 1<
History of Columbia County, New York 3UHVV RI - % A History of the Reformed Church of Germantown, 1728/LSSLQFRWW 3KLODGHOSKLD 1978 5HIRUPHG &KXUFK RI *HUPDQWRZQ *HUPDQWRZQ 1< )HQQHOO &KULVWRSKHU & %D.RQJR ,GHQWLW\ DQG 6\PEROLF ([SUHVVLRQ LQ WKH $PHULFDV ,Q Archaeology of Atlantic Africa and the African Diaspora $NLQZXPL 2JXQGLUDQ DQG 7R\LQ )DOROD HGLWRUV SS ² ,QGLDQD 8QLYHUVLW\ 3UHVV %ORRPLQJWRQ
2¡&DOODKDQ ( % HGLWRU Documentary History of the State of New-York 9RO :HHG 3DUVRQV $OEDQ\ 1< 2WWHUQHVV 3KLOLS 2004 Becoming German: The 1709 Palatine Migration to New York &RUQHOO 8QLYHUVLW\ 3UHVV ,WKDFD
)HUJXVRQ /HODQG * 1992 Uncommon Ground: Archaeology and Early African America, 1650-1800 6PLWKVRQLDQ ,QVWLWXWLRQ 3UHVV 7KRPSVRQ 5REHUW )DUULV :DVKLQJWRQ '& Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy 9LQWDJH 1HZ <RUN ´7KH &URVV LV D 0DJLF 6LJQÂľ 0DUNV RQ (LJKWHHQWK &HQWXU\ %RZOV IURP 6RXWK &DUROLQD ,Q â&#x20AC;&#x153;I, Too, Am Americaâ&#x20AC;?: 1993 Face of the Gods: Art and Altars of Africa and the African Archaeological Studies of African-American Life 7KHUHVD $ Americas 0XVHXP IRU $IULFDQ $UW 1HZ <RUN 6LQJOHWRQ HGLWRU SS ² 8QLYHUVLW\ 3UHVV RI 9LUJLQLD &KDUORWWHVYLOOH :HEVLWHV *HQHDORJLFDO ZZZ VFKHQHFWDG\KLVWRU\ RUJ IDPLOLHV KPJIP YDQRUGHQB KWPO DFFHVVHG -DQXDU\
ZZZ ZLNLWUHH FRP ZLNL 7HQB%URHFNB DFFHVVHG 2001 African Cosmology of the Bantu-Kongo $IULFDQ 7UHH -DQXDU\ 3UHVV &KDUOHVWRQ 6RXWK &DUROLQD )X .LDX .LPEZDQGHQGH . %XQVHNL
Volume 49: Number 1
Spring 2016
Page 30