The story of a six-year-old George Washington chopping down a cherry tree may be a legend, but archaeologists excavating at Mount Vernon, the home of the first president of the United States, made a very real discovery of 35 glass bottles filled with cherries and berries.
The bottles were found in five storage pits in the mansion's cellar, 29 of which were intact and contained "perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants," according to a Thursday statement from Mount Vernon of George Washington.
Teams unearthed the 18th-century bottles during a $40 million revitalization project launched last year at Mount Vernon, Virginia. The bottles were retrieved from pits, refrigerated, and are slated for scientific analysis, the statement said.
The bottles, slowly drying, are "composed of materials and foods likely dating back to 250 years ago," and will be sent from Mount Vernon's archaeological lab to an external conservation center, according to the statement. The latest find follows the recent discovery of two intact glass bottles of European manufacture from the 18th century, filled with liquid, cherries, and pits in the same cellar, the organization said.
"Now we know those bottles were just the beginning of this remarkable discovery," said Doug Bradburn, President and CEO of Mount Vernon, in a statement.
Bradburn described the finds as "an unprecedented discovery," adding that "nothing of this scope and significance has ever been unearthed in North America." "The bottles and their contents testify to the knowledge and skill of enslaved individuals who managed food preparation from tree to table," said Jason Boroughs, Mount Vernon's chief archaeologist.
According to Bradburn, the bottles may have been forgotten when Washington left Mount Vernon to take command of the Continental Army. "It's likely these artifacts haven't seen the light since before the American Revolution," he said. "It's so fitting that these bottles have been brought to light just before the 250th anniversary of the United States."
18 Nov 2024
Michigan State University aim to create a yeast-based biopesticide modeled after approaches proven effective against other species of flies and mosquitoes. The product works by disrupting the protein translation of the pests' ribonucleic acid (RNA).
25 Jan 2024
A common alternative to fresh consumption is its employment in the production of a wide range of food items. Combining bioactive components and essential acids contained in cherry seeds, a positive repercussion in both economic and environmental terms is desirable.
27 Mar 2026
Retractable rain covers enhance yield and fruit quality in family cherry orchards in Chile. They provide climate protection, increased light exposure and efficient labor management, offering a flexible solution for small growers seeking stability and cost optimization.
27 Mar 2026
Insect nets in cherry orchards modify temperature, humidity and solar radiation, shaping the microclimate without altering plant phenology. Data from the Ceris’innov project in France highlight effects on heat, wind, fruit development, quality and orchard management.
