For this (Throwback) Thursday, an archaeological game: Below are images of three sites that were excavated within Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area. Two of the images include landmarks that should help identify the location. The third image is of an “iconic” discovery. Care to try your luck guessing the sites? And for any over-achievers out there, try naming the decade. How well do you know your Colonial Williamsburg Archaeology?
Image #1: What site is this?
Image #2 : Where was this discovery made? And what was in the bottles?!
Image #3: Here’s a modern one. Does anyone remember this dig? Where is it…and what is on this site today?
Mike Myers says
Meredith, Looks like I,m late to the party. Had the first two correct, Missed Ravenscroft minus two points because I helped on that project.
Fun contest hope you do more in the future.
Oh Mike…REALLY?! You missed Ravenscroft? You’re right, minus two, as you once had Ravenscroft dirt on your hands !
We’ve had fun with this contest too. There will certainly be more in the future. And fair warning: the guessing will get harder…. Good luck!
Karen~
What a speedy researcher you are! The Ravenscroft excavation took place between 2006 and 2008. If you’d like to know more, please follow this link:
http://research.history.org/ravenscroft/
Mereidth
Thanks. Never mind. I found the answer in the research library with Thomas Ravenscroft aquiring the property and perhaps building there. His greatgrandson was the Bishop in NC. Ravenscrofts pop up in my database with Frances Ravenscroft m. Joseph Ball, Dinetia Ravenscroft m. Peter Jones, Georgiana Ravenscroft m. Burnel Claiborne, and Sarah Ravenscroft m. Abraham Jones though I have no idea how they relate to each other or to Thomas or his father Samuel. These girls seem to be mostly in Prince George’s, Charles and maybe Lancaster Co, so mot likely the later generation.
Meredith. I had the bottles & cherries but not Ravenscroft. That name pops up as the name of a Methodist Bishop in the 1800’s but what stood at the place now the military site, where you excavated “Ravenscroft”?
Valerie H. says
Was #2 Weatherburn’s Tavern? With bottles full of cherries?
Valerie… Yes! Number 2 shows the 1965 discovery, behind Wetherburn’s Tavern, of a cache of wine bottles filled with morello cherries. Ultimately, there were 47 (whole) bottles found..the largest group ever recovered together in the Historic Area. Exciting, to be sure!
That was a little too easy. Might have to post one more image just to stump this crowd…
…And Michael identified the Ravenscroft site before I finished typing the answer, so he got that one, too. Good going!
Wilson gets two points.
He and Gail are correct on Peyton Randolph as #1 (looks a little different painted white, doesn’t it?). Number 3 is the Ravenscroft Site, wherre the military encampment is today (and where the tenant house once stood). Any more guesses on #2?
Is no. 3 Ravenscroft?
Wilson Futrell says
I agree with Gail on number 1. If not the Palace for number 2, I’m not sure unless it is near Greenhow’s since there are some of his original bottles in the lab. Number 3 looks like the corner of Nicholson and Botetourt Streets where the tents and military demonstrations are now, but I don’t know what it is.
#1 where the Randolph kitchen is now located
#2 Weatherburn’s brandied cherries
# 3 It is corner of Botetourt/Nicholson where Tenant House used to be now the military encampment is located.
Gail~
Thanks for being our first contestant! You have guessed one of the three sites correctly. Not sure if I should tell you which one…but you probably know already. One point for Gail!
1- Peyton Randolph kitchen, 2- Palace & wine, 3- coffee house.