SAEDNEWS: Excavations beneath the basement of George Washington’s Virginia estate, Mount Vernon, have led to the discovery of 35 glass bottles dating back to the 18th century. The bottles were found buried in five separate pits, offering new insights into early American domestic life at the historic plantation.
According to Saed News Agency, citing Faridid, an archaeological excavation beneath George Washington’s estate in Virginia, Mount Vernon, has led to the discovery of 35 glass bottles dating back to the 18th century. These bottles were buried in five separate pits, and 29 of them remain intact. Like two others found earlier this year, they contain fruits such as cherries and small berries.
In April, the discovery of two intact, sealed European-made bottles in a storage area was already considered significant. Their contents were found to be cherries along with stems and pits, preserved in a liquid that had kept them in remarkably good condition. The seal was so effective that the cherries were still aromatic when uncovered.
Doug Bradburn, President and CEO of Mount Vernon, said: “We never imagined such an extraordinary archaeological discovery. Last month, we were thrilled by two perfectly preserved 18th-century bottles containing biological material. Now we realize those bottles were only the beginning of a much larger find. To our knowledge, this is unprecedented in scale and significance in North America. We now have a large collection of artifacts and materials for analysis that may reshape our understanding of American history. We are even hoping the cherry seeds might still be viable. It is especially remarkable that this discovery comes just before the 250th anniversary of the United States.”
The bottles were buried before the American Revolution. When George Washington hastily left his estate in May 1775 following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, they were left behind. He later joined the Second Continental Congress in military uniform, and within a month, the Continental Army was formed with Washington appointed as Commander-in-Chief. At the time, preserved fruits in the cellar would have been of little importance amid wartime conditions.
Archaeologist Jason Borrows of Mount Vernon noted: “These extraordinary discoveries continue to surprise us. The perfectly preserved fruits, picked and prepared over 250 years ago, offer a rare opportunity to better understand 18th-century environments, agricultural practices, and the origins of American food traditions. The bottles and their contents also reflect the knowledge and skill of enslaved workers who managed food production from farm to table, including Doll, an enslaved cook brought to the estate by Martha Washington in 1759 to oversee the kitchen.”
Microscopic analysis has revealed intriguing details, including that the cherries were cut with their stems using scissors. The acidic environment inside the bottles likely contributed to their preservation. Researchers believe the samples are strong candidates for DNA analysis, which could help identify the exact species by comparing them with modern databases. Studies are also underway to determine whether any of the cherry pits are still viable for germination.
These are only preliminary findings. The contents of the bottles will undergo full analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.
