Artifacts of Religion and Magic

Sara Rivers-Cofield

For the December 8 CCASM meeting Sara Rivers-Cofield's talk was entitled "Artifacts of Religion and Magic: Interpreting the material culture of faith and the supernatural in Maryland".  She talked about artifacts that are associated with both organized religion, especially Catholicism, and practices that we would tend to refer to as ritual or superstition.  After telling us the anthropologist's definition of religion Sara described several religious medals found in Maryland and the history associated with each medal.   Next she talked about magical artifacts also found in Maryland, especially bent silver sixpences, and the various superstitions associated with them.  These religious and magical artifacts have been found in Maryland on sites occupied by people of European descent as well as on sites occupied by people of African descent.

 
images from jefpat.org

Sara Rivers-Cofield is the Curator of Federal Collections at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.  And Sara always brings artifacts so there is an opportunity to actually see some of the objects.

Religious Artifacts

Hands-on Time

Magical Artifacts

Attendance: 8