Printed Bricks | Historic Jamestowne

Artifact number – Various
Material – Clay
Place of Origin – Virginia
Date – ca. 1620 – 1700
Context – The Factory, Smithfield Well, Wine Cellar, Second Well, Blacksmith Shop/Bakery
Location – Collections
Category – Architectural, Households

A common occurrence among handmade bricks are bricks with animal prints. Printed bricks were accidentally made when errant animals got into the drying area and stepped on the raw bricks. The bricks were still used unless they were completely misshapen, although even that didn’t completely disqualify them from use. A number of bricks, and a floor tile with prints from pigs, dogs, raccoons, and a possible goose have been found by archaeologists at Jamestown!

The Jamestown collection also includes bricks with fingerprints on them, providing a tangible connection to the 17th century Jamestown brickmakers. As they were laying out the bricks to dry, turning the bricks to one of the sides to aid the drying process, or possibly when they were preparing the clamp or kiln to be fired, brickmakers left their fingerprints on the still-wet bricks. Placing our fingers into these impressions can transport us back 400 years to experience the same sensation that people living and working on Jamestown Island experienced.

related images

: Red-paste, glazed brick fragment with 3 finger prints in interior paste

: Brick with dog print and mortar

: Brick fragment with print (possible goose)

: Complete brick with fingerprints 8.5” x 4” x 2.5”

: Brick with print and tan mortar on the short edges. 8″ x 4″ x 2.5″

: Brick with 4 finger and 1 thumb print on one bed and 3 prints on the opposite bed

: Brick with 4 finger and 1 thumb print on one bed and 3 prints on the opposite bed

: Burned, orange brick fragment with dog print (2 partial digital pads and partial metacarpal pad)

: Orange brick fragment with possible animal scratch marks on one bed. 4 3/4″ x 2 1/4″

: Brick with thumb print

: Brick fragment with animal print (possible raccon)

: Brick fragment with unknown print

: Brick fragment with pig hoof print

: Brick fragment with pig hoof print

: Brick with fingerprint and burnt area 8-1/2″ x 4″ x 6″

: Brick fragment with partial dog print 5″x4-7/8″ x2-1/4″

: Low fired orange brick with mica present in temper. The scraped bed has 2 fingerprints.

: Red burned brick fragment with dog prints. Dog prints have nail marks.

: Brick fragment with animal print

: Brick fragment with possible raccoon print

: Brick with dog print

: Burned, incomplete, scraped brick with two overlapping animal prints that could possibly be from a small dog. The paw pads appear much smaller than some of our other dog-printed bricks.