Wrought iron ankle shackle with beam attachment

Object/Artifact

-

Jefferson County Museum

Name/Title

Wrought iron ankle shackle with beam attachment

Entry/Object ID

704

Description

Wrought iron ankle shackle with beam attachment. One ankle piece is closed with two triangular loops of iron that interlock and for chaining to another enslaved person's shackle. The other ankle piece is also constructed so that it can be attached to the beam of a ship. Both ankle pieces are decorated with crescents. Between the two are three round iron loops and two two-holed spacers. Shackles were used to prevent escape of enslaved people, for example, while transporting them from place to place on foot or by ship.

Acquisition

Accession

593

Source or Donor

Robinson, Jessica Woods

Acquisition Method

Gift

Material

Metal