Rolesville Revolution - Colonial Knee Buckle - NC Militia campsite

[SOSDIVING]

I wanted to share this unique 18th century artifact with you all, and I look forward posting more information and pictures in the coming months from this militia campsite. This site was discovered over three years ago, and many artifacts were recovered. This is the start of postings here on treasurenet. What a great site! Thanks for looking and happy hunting, watch our for the snakes!

One oval knee buckle was recovered from northern Wake County, NC, near the Wake Forest and Rolesville areas. Knee buckles were used on uniform and civilian "breeches" (pants). The knee buckle consists of a brass oval frame and iron spikes, chape, pin and tongue. Due to deterioration, the iron components have chemically combined with the soil matrix, composed of acidic soil and micro quartz crystals, therefore, leaving a rusted iron mass in the center of the oval brass frame. One x-ray was taken of the knee buckle and shows the internal details of the device, surrounded by the brass oval frame. One tine is broken as indicated in the x-ray.
Knee buckles are oval in shape and smaller in size, versus buckles that are square or rectangular in shape, which were utilized as shoe buckles. Shoe buckles are generally are of a larger scale.
The pictures show the original discovery, the x-ray of the buckle, a reproduction knee buckle for reference, and a picture of the campsite environment.

Thanks again and will share more in the coming months!

 

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[leddel]

nice buckle but the reproduction's chape and tongue you shown are a bit different than the one
in the x-ray. yours is more like this one with the separate "tines" and the "anchor" like chape.

 

[SOSDIVING]

YES, you are right! Thanks for the observation. I purchased the reproduction for the general public so that they could visualize a knee buckle, and I agree with you as far as the true design. Thanks for the picture and comment.

 

[Off n On]

very cool! did you have to pay for the xray? where would you get such a service provided?

 

[vpnavy]

Great find! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Ahab8]

This is a great post! Thank you for sharing this. Would've loved to see that buckle come out in better shape. You don't see them very often

 

[SOSDIVING]

The X-rays that I have had performed came from our local vet and also a friend who is a dentist. Some will do for free, and others big bucks for a digital x-ray.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very nice find and post. Love to see those NC artifacts. HH and GL.

 

[ModernMiner]

Awesome find. Looking forward to future recoveries. I detected in Wake Forest for years at various spots. I worked in WF for 20 yrs before moving to the Asheville area in 2012. Lots of great history in that area.
Great post,
Mm