Facts About the Stone House
Now the grave of Rachel Levy, this building was once a stone dwelling for enslaved workers. (Pictured: Digital recreation of the 1809 Stone House by Rendersphere, LLC)
After working long days, adults cared for their children, cooked, tended gardens, mended clothes, and hunted for food. (Pictured: Artifacts uncovered along Mulberry Row, including thimbles, marbles, domino pieces, toothbrushes, and a writing slate)
These homes were also the focus of community life, where people gathered to socialize, play music, and worship. (Pictured: Detail from "A Story Told" by Nathaniel Gibbs, part of a series of paintings imagining slave life at Monticello)
Digging for Clues - The Artifacts of Daily Life
Archaeologist excavating inside the Stone House in 1984. The original hearth foundation appears at the right.
Archaeologists excavated numerous artifacts here, including this iron padlock with a keyhole cover.
Bone toothbrushes. The bristles were secured with copper wiring, which left a green stain on the back of the handle.
Fragment of a hand-painted Chinese porcelain plate. Enslaved people cooked and ate in their dwellings.
Many hand-painted Chinese porcelain plates dishes were found at a dwelling near the Stone House.
This bone case found along Mulberry Row held pins for sewing. Slaves made most of their own clothing.
Game pieces such as dominoes and marbles were found at various dwellings along Mulberry Row.
Brass jaw harp, an 18th century musical instrument, found along Mulberry Row.
The Levy Family Saves Monticello
(Running time: 2:00)