This three ~ A three-year project has been announced to study 48,000 fragments of red earthenware ceramics that were excavated from the Parker-Harris Pottery site in Boston's Big Dig in the 1980s. These fragments are currently being stored at the City's Archaeology Lab in West Roxbury.

The Parker-Harris Pottery site has a rich history, dating back to 1714 when Isaac Parker and his wife Grace purchased a lot of land in Charlestown. The couple had 11 children and developed the largest pottery production in the town, which was known for its pottery industry. After Isaac's death in 1742, Grace took over the business and continued to run it until her death in 1754. The pottery was then taken over by potter Josiah Harris until it was destroyed during the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775.

Recent research has revealed that two enslaved Black males, Jack and Acton, were listed on an estate inventory created at Isaac's death. Their combined value of £230 was significantly higher than other enslaved people at the time. Historian and slavery expert Jared Hardesty identified Jack and Acton as potters due to their exceptional value and their presence on the potters' inventory. However, little else is known about them except for their marriage records found in Charlestown.

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While there are several known enslaved potters from the 19th century, such as David Drake and Thomas W. Commeraw, Jack and Acton are two of the only identified enslaved potters from the 18th century. With thousands of fragments of pottery from the site where they worked, this project aims to uncover their impact on pottery production at the site and their contributions to ceramic arts history.

The excavation at the Parker-Harris Pottery site took place in 1986 after it was determined that it had survived over two centuries of development. However, the original excavators only studied 645 pottery fragments, which is just 2.54% of the total found. Additionally, Jack and Acton were not mentioned in the resulting archaeological report. Today, the site is part of a tunnel connecting two bridges.

The three-year project will begin with a complete cataloging of the ceramics from the site, recording their types, forms, and decorations. This data will be used to create an identification guide for the ceramics, which can help identify Jack and Acton's wares across the east coast. Their distinctive "bars and swags" decoration has been found as far north as Fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, and it remains to be determined how far south their wares were distributed.

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The City Archaeology team will also partner with Kyera Singleton, Executive Director of the Royall House and Slave Quarters, to examine their archaeological collection from the Medford house to see if Jack and Acton's wares were purchased and used there. The project will include exhibits at both sites as well as a public symposium on enslaved labor and crafts.

Local redware potter and historian Rick Hamelin will also be involved in the project as an advisor on pottery production and decoration techniques. He will also develop a live pottery demonstration showcasing Jack and Acton's wares for the public.

Updates on this project will be shared regularly over the next three years through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky by the City's Archaeology Program team. This long-overdue analysis of the Parker-Harris Pottery site is expected to uncover new insights into early 18th-century pottery production while shedding light on the lives of enslaved potters like Jack and Acton.

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