Student uncovers Jewish relics
DEREK MILLER showing off one of his discoveries – the bottom of a wine glass. (Picture by Heather-Lynn Evanson)
By Heather-Lynn Evanson | Tue, August 17, 2010 - 12:00 AM
NEAR FOUR-HUNDRED YEAR-OLD artefacts have been unearthed from the historic Jewish synagogue in Bridgetown.
The significant archaeological find was made by United States student Derek Miller of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, who is on a quest to compare the now extinct Jewish community on the island of St Eustatius and that in Barbados.
In the space of two hours last weekend, Miller unearthed not only an abundance of discarded material and animal bones, but fragments of 17th century pottery and even smoking pipes.
“Two of the nicer pieces we found here are copper tongs, or one-half of the copper tongs, and then I found the base of a very nice wine glass – very heavy. So that’s some of the nicer stuff,” he told the Daily Nation.
And peeking out from under the wall was half of the bottom of an onion bottle.
Miller, who is here for six weeks, explained the material came from the middle to late 17th century.
“We have been able to find material from the 1650s all the way up to the present,” he explained.
“Starting with the very popular mass-produced ceramics of the 18th century – the cream wares, the pearl ware – we’re now moving back into the 17th century where we find North Devon Gravel ware, delft ware, and local produced Barbadian wares,” Miller said.
He has been able to date the pieces by “peeling back the soil layers”.
“Each soil layer has a different colour, a different texture, a different feel and within [those layers] are different artefacts, and having studied the material culture from various places, you can begin to date based on the ceramic type and the glass type,” he said.
History Professor Dr Karl Watson explained the significance of the find.
He revealed that the Sephardic Jewish population built five houses around the two important features of Jewish life – the synagogue and mikvah (the ritual bath).
“The Jewish community, although relatively small, was important in the commercial life of Bridgetown, and they were important in what we call the North Atlantic Commercial System.
“They had trading relationships throughout Europe; they had access to capital; they had intricate and inter-familial trading relations,” Watson explained.
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well we know the European Jews were slave owners. After Hitler tried to kill them all in and around 1944-45 the British gave them land in Palestine, now there are killing the Palestinians and trying to tell the world its their land. Yea right. The British own America too although the native Indians were here long before Columbus sailed in 1492. Now we have a white jew looking for old European Jew artefacts , be careful Barbados , he will soon want to claim the land as his ancestors land
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Comment LinkI am curious to know where these artifacts will reside and how their discovery will benefit Barbados.
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Comment Linkre Bajan in Florida’s comment…
How sick can one get?
Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin applied for and were given permission by Oliver Cromwell to emigrate from Recife(now a part of Brazil).
It was these people who brought sugar technology to Barbados (just look at the Dutch style millwalls at at Morgan Lewis mill) and you will see the Dutch influence…Recife being at that point a Dutch colony.
The Jews built The Synagogue on land that they did own…and more recently donated to The Barbados National Trust.
Zenophobia is not a one way street as we can see from the Floridian’s comments; but it does no one good.
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Comment Linkre Karl’s comments on Bajan in Florida’s point of view. Whatever you think about the Jews they are persecuting the Palestinians in their own land. You only have to look at the Gaza blockade. Anywhere else in the World this would be an atrocity .
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Comment LinkI’m not wading into that whole thing about Israel’s foreign policy and getting all into that country’s internal affairs. But it is very worthy to take note of the valuable contribution that the Jews from Dutch Brazil made to Barbados. Single handedly the Jews transformed the economy from a floundering status due to the intense competition from Virginia Tobacco and the rest of the Thirteen Colonies and into the richest piece of ground in the English empire from the 1660s clear through to 1780 when Jamaica eventually surpassed Barbados’ wealth due to its size. Sir William Courteen who himself was of English and Dutch origin was I believe one of the main reasons why Barbados became the vehicle for the Jews coming to Barbados. Sir Courteen had robust trade with the Dutch territories in South America and due to him Barbados was indirectly financed by the Dutch West India Company.
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Comment LinkThe conflict in the Middle East is far removed from the Jews of Barbados in the 1600s…
By the way, this researcher is not Jewish, so your assertion that he will likely try to claim the land for Jewish ancestors is incorrect. I highly doubt, however, that if he was Jewish your comments would be any more on target. Open your mind…
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