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Jewelry
Humans have been decorating their bodies for thousands of years. The people of San Luis Obispo's 1870's Chinatown were no different. Some forms of personal adornment are meant as signals to other people of the community (such as a wedding ring). Some items were used to enhance beauty (such as a bracelet or broach). Some items served a utility purpose as well as being decorative (such as a pocket watch and chain).
The recovery and study of personal adornment items gives the archaeologist a much better understanding of the value system of the community, a sense of the community's structure, and insight into the economic status of the
individuals who once owned the them.
RINGS
An amethyst ring, a brass ring with a Chinese character, and a silver wedding band are pictured
here. It is likely that each had a separate function or meaning for the person who wore these rings. The amethyst ring may have been worn to enhance beauty or as a
memento in memory of another family member or friend.
The carved wooden Chinese character on the center ring signifies "Long Long Life" and was the kind of gift that a son or daughter might have given an older parent or grandparent as a birthday gift.
The silver wedding band would have been a symbol of commitment and love to the person wearing it as well as a sign to the rest of the community that this person was not available for mating.
BRACELETS & PINS
Bracelets, chains and the silver "peas-in-a-pod" pin shown here were most likely used to enhance beauty. Most of the bracelets in the Chinatown collection are in the form of chains (copper, brass, or gold-plated). There are a few copper, bone, glass and carved stone hoop bracelets.
WATCHES
At least three pocket watches have been recovered in the Chinatown collection. In addition to telling us a little about the status of their owners, pocket watches can often be excellent indicators of the period represented by the archaeological feature
in-which they were found (trash pit, outhouse, house foundation, etc.). When a watch was taken in for repair or cleaning, the watch jeweler often engraved the date of the work and his initials on the inside of the case. The
silver case on the watch in the photo is rusted shut and it will be necessary to send this watch to a special metal restoration lab before an attempt is made to open the case to inspect it for
dates.
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