Reconstructed delft charger excavated from Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

The Pinckney family owned the plantation Snee Farm from 1754 until 1817. Charles Pinckney, who was one of the principal drafters of the United States Constitution, inherited Snee Farm from his father in 1782. At 715 acres, it was Pinckney’s smallest plantation, and a favorite retreat from his Meeting Street House in downtown Charleston.

Very few of Pinckney’s personal papers exist today, as the bulk of them were destroyed by the 1861 Charleston fire. Because of this, archeology has played an important role in our understanding of Snee Farm and Charles Pinckney. Excavations in the core area of Snee Farm revealed the location of the original Pinckney farmhouse, well, kitchen, and slave dwellings.

This hand-painted delft charger was found in several pieces in three of the excavated sites. As more began to be uncovered, archeologists realized that they were once part of the same platter. When the excavations were completed, the fragments of the charger were reconstructed by NPS conservators. The portions which were not recovered are represented by plain white plaster.