Clay figurine of a female

myminifactory

This incomplete artifact is a small clay figurine measuring only 2.8 inches or 70.7 mm in length without her head. The figurine represents a woman seated with a small sheep at her feet, often interpreted as a shepherdess. Made from white ball clay, the same material used for tobacco pipes and wig curlers, she was created in two pieces, evident by mold seams on both sides of her body. A scoop-neck dress and necklace adorn her figure, while her hair flows loosely down her back. Missing are her head and left shoulder and arm. In similar examples found in the Netherlands, the shepherdess typically holds a staff with the missing hand and wears a wide-brimmed hat. Her skirt may have once been painted red, as visible pigment spots suggest. The male counterpart was also discarded in the midden, possibly after losing his head. While pipe clay figurines are common on archaeological sites in Virginia and Maryland, this shepherdess is unique to our discovery. Unlike regal or religious figurines found on other Chesapeake region sites, which might have once sat on mantels or cabinets, this one embodies a pastoral, folk quality. Due to her small size and somewhat crude mold, the figurine may have been a toy for children who lived at Mount Vernon. Excavated from Phase 1 of the midden (ca. 1735-1758), the clay couple could have belonged to Sarah Washington, daughter of Lawrence and Anne.