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Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects

Shackles

18th - early 19th century

Smithsonian NMAAHC collection

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Shackles consisting of an iron bolt with a pair of loops slid onto it through a hole in each end of the loop. One end of the bar is fixed closed by an integral metal flange large enough to prevent the loops from being removed. The other end of the bar, which ends in an "eye" is locked by a large "lock washer" inserted at the time the shackles were applied.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2008.10.3

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