Issues → March/April 2008 → Travel →
Local Treasure: Shantok Ware Pot
Connecticut's Mashantucket Pequot Museum
by Justin Shatwell
Passing through the ultra-lifelike dioramas of Connecticut's Mashantucket Pequot Museum, visitors speak in hushed tones as though they're intruding. But the models don't flinch: They're frozen snapshots of a history almost forgotten.
This state-of-the-art museum is dedicated to resurrecting and popularizing the story of New England's native inhabitants, which isn't always easy. But by weaving together archaeology, historical records, and spoken tradition, they've created an engaging experience that captivates visitors of all ages.
A once-shattered pot, a relic recovered from an archaeological site on the museum's grounds, represents the last phase of Pequot ceramics before the region was flooded with brass and copper goods from Europe in the 17th century. It fits the museum well: Pieced back together with care and passion, its story is now preserved for generations to come.
Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, 110 Pequot Trail, Mashantucket, CT 800-411-9671 pequotmuseum.org
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