Porcelain Plate Pieces Excavated in Anacostia

Between 1920 and 1940

In the early 1980s, archaeologists excavated land along Howard Road, SE before construction began on the Anacostia Metro Station in southeast Washington, D.C. Objects unearthed in the excavation revealed nearly 10,000 years of human settlement in the area. Their discoveries included household objects, such as pieces of a plate made in Japan, likely between 1920 and 1940. The pieces show two women dressed in colorful kimonos outdoors. This style of plate, depicting Japanese women in traditional settings, appeared in varying levels of quality. Department stores sold finer versions, while dime stores carried cheaper ones. Still others were given away at movie theaters or with other products, such as tea.