Chess Set Pawn

In 1993, Montpelier archaeologists unearthed fragments of ivory chess pawns during their excavations in the South Yard near a smokehouse. The fragments were originally misidentified as sewing bobbins, and it was not until the pieces were reexamined in 2010 that they were correctly identified. The distinctive shape of the neck suggested the pawns were from a Washington-style carved ivory chess set, which was fashionable during the last quarter of the 18th century.