In the colonial era, some of the largest ethnicities to arrive in the colonies were peoples of West and Central Africa who were brought in as slaves. While enslaved, Africans interacted with each other, as well as with Europeans and Native Americans. They mingled their varied cultural practices in creative ways that were both subtle and obvious, and left a lasting imprint on American culture.

These imprints, often called Africanisms, are elements of culture that are traceable to an African origin. Through these Africanisms, African Americans maintained their unique cultural identities while also establishing themselves as an integral part of America’s cultural landscape. Archeological evidence for Africanisms is varied and complex. Two examples are found in colonoware and "mancala". 

Colonoware, a well-known Africanism, is a low-fired, unglazed earthenware produced and used in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has been found along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean. Colonoware takes many forms, including bowls, plates, jugs, and pipes.

In the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic regions, these various forms have been found at sites associated with enslaved African Americans as well as sites where free African Americans are known to have lived. At Manassas National Battlefield Park, archeologists have found colonoware at several African American sites.

Archeologists often disagree about the correct interpretation of colonoware because this type of ceramic may have been made and used by different groups in different regions. 

Some archeologists believe that colonoware represents traditional African potting techniques, indicating the continuity of an African identity despite enslavement. Others argue that colonoware is the product of cultural interaction between African Americans, Europeans, and Native Americans, sometimes exhibiting characteristics of all three cultures. Still other experts suggest that colonoware was produced exclusively by Native Americans and found its way into African American hands through barter and trade.

During excavations at the Robinson House site, archeologists discovered a ceramic sherd that may be colonoware. Given the controversy surrounding colonoware, it cannot be conclusively identified as the type associated solely with African American traditions. The sherd, however, provides intriguing clues to the possibility that the Robinsons used colonoware and were involved in its distribution among African Americans of the time.