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Hemp (Rope)
Lenape, John Fanning Watson
1750-1800
Description
This loosely twisted coil of fibers has been kept together inside a folded piece of paper bearing an inscription indicating it was brought to Philadelphia antiquarian John Fanning Watson as a relic of Native American hemp (Virga) often used for fishing nets and other purposes. According to Watson's undated record, the coil was unearthed at a depth of 18 feet while a well was being created for the prison at Arch and Broad Streets. Watson kept the fibers and this historic account with other artifacts in a wooden chest.
Category
Textiles
Creator/Artist/Maker
Lenape (Probable maker)
Place of Origin
Delaware, New Jersey or Pennsylvania; Mid-Atlantic; United States; North America
Materials
- Hemp
Museum Object Number
1980.0171.009 B
Credit Line/Donor
Gift of Katherine H. Cole in memory of Wilford P. Cole.
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Complete Details
Object Number
1980.0171.009 B
Object Name
Hemp (Rope)
Category
Textiles
Creator (Role)
Lenape (Probable maker); John Fanning Watson (Compiler)
Place of Origin
Delaware, New Jersey or Pennsylvania; Mid-Atlantic; United States; North America
Origin Notes
The hemp was discovered in Philadelphia but could have been made in many places.
Date
1750-1800
Subject(s)
- John Fanning Watson
- Native American
- Indigenous peoples
Materials
- Hemp
Dimensions (inches)
1.5 (H) x 4.75 (W)
Dimensions (centimeters)
3.81 (H) x 12.07 (W)