Featured Artifact: Toys at Morristown

“Archaeology” is a fancy term for studying human garbage.* That is right- garbage! What we leave behind, accidentally drop, or misplace is present in the archaeological record. Some of these items are very precious, however. Do you remember the panic that struck when you couldn’t find your favorite stuffed animal, or a piece of an important puzzle went missing? Or the feeling when you went outside after a long winter and suddenly a ball that was left out got revealed through the melting ice and snow? If you were lucky, you got those toys back and got to form more memories through play. If you were not so lucky, the toys were tossed and lost forever. You are not alone in your heartache. The loss has been experienced by children for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years.

Before the age of plastics, manufactured toys were a commodity not enjoyed by all (4). Dolls, tea sets and figurines were produced starting in the 1700s; however, they were enjoyed by wealthier families. There was no standard for toys like these until the industrial revolution and the turn of the 19^th century (2)(3)(6).

Figure 1: Small teacup in
Morristown N.H.P. collection

At Morristown National Historical Park, there are several items in the collection that are representative of toys of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Toy tea sets made in porcelain and faience were most popular by the mid-1800s. Toys made for female children were meant to teach skills they would use as future adult women. For instance, a tea set could teach manners at the table. Another skill highly prized was needle work. By the 1800s girls were given patterns to sew that were designed specifically for the use in doll houses. Instead of purchasing items for the homes, girls earned the new “toys” through sewing the furnishings themselves (1). Miniature ceramics have been discovered at Morristown (Figure 1). The small teacup (MORR 1230) is “doll-sized.” It is barely an inch tall! Toys like this inspired imaginary parties for hundreds of years.

Figure 2: Figurine discovered in
Morristown N.H.P Collection

Soldiers and non-military figurines are also popular toys. Figurines have been discovered in archaeological finds all around the world. Without context, it is hard to differentiate these between toys and funerary objects. For instance, the terracotta soldiers in Shaanxi, China, which were discovered as part of the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, are a well-known funerary display. Depending on the location of discovery, historical context, and precedence, it is possible to determine the use of a figurine as a toy versus funerary object (or both in some cases like the burial of children). Toy soldiers and civilian figures have long been popular for play (5). This approximately three-inch figurine of a man (MORR1226) depicts a civilian. In its current condition, it is hard to determine more about this toy without expert review (Figure 2).

The small number of miniature toys discovered through archaeological investigation shows that there were children enjoying domestic life and playing across the sites in Morristown, New Jersey. While the site is made famous by the soldiers wintering in 1779-1780, this small town was home year-round to families. The evidence of their total experience is minimal in the current collection; however, there is written record for the Ford Mansion, Wick House, and Cross Estate, that helps fill in the pieces. What is missing from the archaeological record can also tell us about the people that lived in these locations. It allows us to ask more questions. In reference to the children, we could ask, “could they afford toys? Who were the children? How were they educated? Did they work? Who were the families? Beside the Fords or Wicks, were there other children living on the grounds?”

We may not have the answers to these questions, but that is the joy of discovery. For now, we can enjoy looking at the miniature toys that make us want to say, “how cute!”

*Archaeology originates from the Greek Logos (study) of Archaios (ancient things).  

[Note:  Archeological resources, both sites and collections, are protected by law on federal and state lands. Understanding these laws is an important part of what you can do to help protect archeological resources. For more information visit: https://www.nps.gov/archeology/public/publicLaw.htm#:~:text=Archeological%20and%20Historic%20Preservation%20Act,Historic%20Sites%20Act%20of%201935. To best protect archeological resources: Report looting and vandalism to Federal land management authorities or your local sheriff; Encourage others to be stewards of the past by your example; Treat remains of past cultures with respect; Tread lightly when visiting archaeological sites; Leave artifacts in place; Photograph, sketch and enjoy rock art, but do not touch ancient surfaces or designs]

This blog post was prepared by Kelsey Taormina, detail Museum Specialist at Morristown NHP/Park Ranger at the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

Sources
1. Beecher, Catharine Esther. A Treatise on Domestic Economy: For the Use of Young Ladies at Home, and at School. United States: Harper & Brothers, 1846.
2. Meikle, Jeffrey L.. American plastic : a cultural history. United Kingdom: Rutgers University Press, 1995.
3. Katz, Sylvia. Early Plastics. United Kingdom: Shire, 1994.
4. Kinderculture: The Corporate Construction Of Childhood. United Kingdom: Avalon Publishing, 1997.
5. Opie, James., Toiati, Luigi. The History of Toy Soldiers. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books, 2019.
6. Rossi, Jean. Plastic Novelties and Toys of the '40s, '50s, And '60s. United States: Schiffer Publishing, Limited, 2001.