Mica tablet

Mica tablet

Triangular mica tablet with engraved image of a sea creature in the center and fish tails near the broken-off edges. The creature appears to be a serpentine or whale-like effigy (sometimes referred to as great horned-serpent) with several horns on its head near the center. The tablet was found in 1849 by a farmer plowing his field in Brookhaven, Suffolk County. The area, being in the “Fire Place” region of Brookhaven, is a sacred spot of the Unkechaug people. South of where the tablet was found, whales were traditionally brought in and their blubber rendered to oil.

For thousands of years, Indigneous peoples living on Sewanhaky accumulated knowledge about the specific environment around them. Sea creatures, including whales, are held in high esteem and close relationship with the Indigenous peoples of Sewanhaky. This connection honors the continuous work of ancestors as stewards of lands, waters, and the plants and animals that sustain life. Learn more

Unknown Indigenous maker

New York State Museum, #16079

Estimated to be Middle Woodland Period (200 BC–AD 300)

New York State Museum. Photograph by Jeremy Dennis.

Mica. 7.75 x 6.5 x .25 in.