Cowrie Shell

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This small shell was unearthed in 2015 during an archaeological excavation at the historic Old City Hall in Boston. Cowrie shells originate from the Indo-Pacific ocean and were once used as a medium of exchange in various regions of West Africa. Archaeologists often view these shells as a tangible indication of African American presence and perspectives when discovered in North America. From 1708 to 1734, this property housed the schoolmaster's residence for Boston Latin School, occupied by Nathaniel Williams and his family along with their two enslaved Africans named Richard and Hagar. While various interpretations exist regarding the shells' origins, it is plausible that they belonged to Richard or Hagar, serving as a testament to West African cultural influence in early Boston.