Ancient African religious artifact uncovered in Annapolis

What could be the oldest African religious artifact ever discovered in America has been unearthed on Fleet Street in Annapolis, University of Maryland researchers said yesterday.

The artifact, a clay "bundle," is filled with small pieces of metal and was unearthed in May from what had been an Annapolis street gutter three centuries ago.

"It is a very important artifact because it is early, because it is African in conceptual origin, and because it is a way of showing that at the point when the city received its (1708) charter, there was a public display of African magic," said University of Maryland...