Archaeologists have found dozens of glass bottles containing fruit preserves that are more than 200 years old in the basement of George Washington’s Mount Vernon mansion.
The 29 intact bottles, which contained “perfectly preserved” cherries, along with currants or currants, “probably haven’t seen the light of day since before the American Revolution,” said Mount Vernon President and CEO Doug Bradburn.
The bottles were removed from five underground storage pits beneath the mansion and relocated to the Mount Vernon archeology laboratory, after which they will be sent off-site for preservation. The contents of each bottle will also be scientifically examined.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine this spectacular archaeological discovery,” Bradburn said in a statement.
«Nothing of this scale and importance has ever been excavated in North America. We now possess a wealth of artifacts and matter to analyze that can provide powerful insight into our nation’s origins, and we’re crossing our fingers that the cherry pits discovered will be viable for future germination.
The 29 intact bottles, which contained “perfectly preserved” cherries, along with currants or currants, “probably have not seen the light of day since before the American Revolution.”
This comes just two months after an archaeological dig revealed the first two bottles discovered at Mount Vernon, which were made in Europe and contained cherries and pits.
George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the United States and was its first president.
“Last month we were ecstatic to discover two completely intact 18th century bottles containing biological matter. “We now know that those bottles were just the beginning of this blockbuster discovery,” Bradburn said.
So far, 54 cherry pits and 23 stems have been identified, meaning the bottles were probably full of cherries at the same time.
All of these amazing revelations were made possible by a $40 million Mount Vernon revitalization project It is expected to be completed in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
An important part of this project to preserve Washington’s 18th-century house is maintaining the foundation by restoring the basement, exactly where these bottles were found.
In April, archaeologist Nick Beard, the person who found the first two bottles, spoke with fox 5 ad to explain the true meaning of finding food remains hundreds of years after they were abandoned.
‘Just the fact that there was liquid. That, right there, sets off alarm bells,” Beard said. “If there’s water or liquid collecting there like that, it means it’s very intact, it’s in very good condition.”
“It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime things,” he added.
The discovery of the bottles containing fruit preserves from the antebellum era was made possible by a $40 million Mount Vernon revitalization project expected to be completed in 2026.
Nick Beard, pictured, discovered the first two bottles in April and called it a “once in a lifetime”.
Jason Boroughs, senior archaeologist at Mount Vernon, gave more information about why and how these bottles were placed in the basement.
‘One of the best ways to store these types of fruits and vegetables was underground, so sometime after 1758 but before 1776, someone dug a kind of rectangular hole about a foot deep through one of basement floors, these bottles were “Installed and then filled with a dense clay,” he told FOX.
Given this timeline, Bradburn believes the bottles were possibly forgotten during the chaotic time when Washington left home to lead the Continental Army against the British in the Revolutionary War.
There were hundreds of slaves living at Mount Vernon during Washington’s lifetime and historians say they were responsible for the preparation and preservation of food.
Bradburn believes the bottles were possibly forgotten during the chaotic time when Washington left home to lead the Continental Army against the British in the Revolutionary War.
‘The bottles and their contents are a testament to the knowledge and skill of the slaves who handled the preparation of food from tree to table, including Doll, the cook brought to Mount Vernon by Martha Washington in 1759 and charged with overseeing the kitchen. of the farm. ‘ Boroughs told FOX.
Washington, who moved to his home in northern Virginia after marrying in 1759, was the only founding father to have written in his will the freeing of all his slaves upon the death of his wife Martha.
He ended up releasing them on January 1, 1801, just over a year before his death.
Washington was the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. He died in 1799 and was buried at Mount Vernon.
