‘Unrelenting toil’: Expanding archaeological interpretations of the female slave experience

Archaeological excavations conducted at the site of a former washing place in Cape Town, South Africa, resulted in the recovery of thousands of artefacts, many of which constitute the material signature of washing. In this paper, it is argued that clothing-related artefacts, such as buttons, buckles, and beads, should not be viewed merely as objects of personal adornment, but more broadly, as the by-products of women's labour. When considered as such, these artefacts not only help to engender archaeological interpretations of slavery, but can be used to explore the social, cultural and economic significance of slave women's work.