Researchers found 17th century pottery, tins, trade beads, musket
balls
They also discovered the remains of a calf, buried whole, at the site
As native people didn't have domestic cattle, they say it's proof of
colony
Excavations were at Burial Hill, cemetery where several Pilgrims are
buried
By CHEYENNE MACDONALD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 14:46 EST, 23 November 2016 | UPDATED: 14:49 EST, 23
November 2016


Archaeologists claim to have found conclusive evidence pinpointing the
site of the original Plymouth settlement, where the Pilgrims lived
nearly 400 years ago.
University of Massachusetts researchers excavated a trove of 17th
century artifacts, including pottery, tins, trade beads, and musket
balls at Burial Hill in Massachusetts, a historic cemetery known to be
the burial site of several Pilgrims.
But, they say the discovery of a calf skeleton, buried whole,
confirmed that they’d pinpointed a location inside the settlement's
walls.
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The team excavated a trove of 17th century artifacts, including
pottery, tins, trade beads, and musket balls at the site in
Massachusetts – but they say the discovery of a calf skeleton, buried
whole, confirmed that they’d pinpointed a location inside the
settlement walls
The team excavated a trove of 17th century artifacts, including
pottery, tins, trade beads, and musket balls at the site in
Massachusetts – but they say the discovery of a calf skeleton, buried
whole, confirmed that they’d pinpointed a location inside the
settlement walls

CONCLUSIVE PROOF
Although the general area of the first settlement has long been known,
the team say their find is the first conclusive proof of the exact
location of the first settlement.
Cattle was a crucial aspect of the colony’s economy, and the
researchers say the find now has ‘potential to change dramatically our understanding of early European colonization.’
The researchers from the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Andrew
Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research claim the discovery
is definite proof of the original 1620 settlement.
With a three-year, $200,000 National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) grant, the team set out with the intentions of finding the
location in time for the 400th anniversary of the Plymouth Colony’s
founding, in 2020.

But, the accomplishment came four years early.
Archaeologists dug for evidence of ‘post and ground construction,’ or
holes for wood and dirt.
‘While digging, we’re constantly in the process of trying to interpret
what we’re finding,’ said David Landon, associate director of the
Fiske Center.
‘It really goes to just moving slowly and trying to see if there are
any patterns in the flow that we can map out.
'As soon as that starts, it becomes a slow process.
‘It’s about much more than the artifacts – it’s about trying to pin
down soil color and trying to understand constructed features that are
no longer there.’
At the bottom-most pit, they found the remains of a calf. The calf,
which they’ve named ‘Constance,’ must have lived and died within the
confines of the original settlement, the researchers say, as the
native people didn’t have domestic cattle
At the bottom-most pit, they found the remains of a calf. The calf,
which they’ve named ‘Constance,’ must have lived and died within the
confines of the original settlement, the researchers say, as the
native people didn’t have domestic cattle
This past summer, they found a number of artifacts that suggested
they’d found a spot within walls of the ancient settlement.
Then, at the bottom-most pit, they found the remains of a calf.
The calf, which they’ve named ‘Constance,’ must have lived and died
within the confines of the original settlement, the researchers say,
as the native people didn’t have domestic cattle.
Archaeologists have unearthed the first definitive evidence of the
original Plymouth settlement, where the Pilgrims lived nearly 400
years ago. The landing of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' at Plymouth, December
22,1620 is illustrated
Archaeologists have unearthed the first definitive evidence of the
original Plymouth settlement, where the Pilgrims lived nearly 400
years ago. The landing of the 'Pilgrim Fathers' at Plymouth, December
22,1620 is illustrated
Coupled with the other findings, the discovery of the calf acts as
proof of the colony’s location.
‘Constance is a great symbol of this,’ Landon said.
‘Often times success in the colony depended on herds of cattle.
'It became a centrepiece of the economy. So the calf does connect us
to that story.’

THE FIRST PERMANENT ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS

The Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic, is
illustrated above
The Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrims across the Atlantic, is
illustrated above
After setting sail from Plymouth, England in September, 1620 on the
Mayflower, the Pilgrims set down on land at Provincetown Harbor on
November 11, 1620.
There were 102 passengers aboard and roughly 30 crew members, who
endured two months of harsh conditions and sea sickness.
One person died along the way.
Though they initially intended to land at a site at the mouth of the
Hudson River, supplies were running low as winter neared, causing them
to anchor further north in the Cape Cod Bay.
Expeditions on land led to skirmishes with the Native Americans after
the Pilgrims disrupted grave sites and stole corn, prompting the
settlers to move on to another site.
There were 102 passengers aboard and roughly 30 crew members, who
endured two months of harsh conditions and sea sickness. One person
died along the way. Pilgrims at the new colony are illustrated
There were 102 passengers aboard and roughly 30 crew members, who
endured two months of harsh conditions and sea sickness. One person
died along the way. Pilgrims at the new colony are illustrated
The first landing party reached the site of what became the Plymouth
settlement on December 21, 1620.
Days later, the Mayflower dropped anchor.
During the first winter, nearly half of the passengers died as a
result of malnutrition and disease from the journey.
The researchers will be continuing their excavations next summer, and
in the meantime, they’re working to clean, label, and analyze the
findings.
Along with this, they’re trying to determine the cause of Constance’s
death and the reason she was buried rather than eaten.
Historians say the discovery is ‘huge,’ and will help to make exhibits
and reproductions more accurate.
‘Finding evidence of colonial activity inside the original 1620
Plymouth settlement is an incredibly exciting discovery that has the
potential to change dramatically our understanding of early European colonization in New England,’ said Kathryn Ness, the curator of
collections at Plimoth Plantation.
‘For the first time, we have proof of where the settlement was located
and what kinds of items the Pilgrims owned and used.’

THE RETURN OF THE MAYFLOWER
The Mayflower II is making another pilgrimage to Connecticut — this
time for a more expansive rebuilding and refitting.
The 60-year-old replica of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to
Massachusetts in 1620 is being towed to Mystic Seaport on Tuesday.
The Mayflower II (pictured) is making another pilgrimage to
Connecticut — this time for a more expansive rebuilding and refitting.
The Mayflower II (pictured) is making another pilgrimage to
Connecticut — this time for a more expansive rebuilding and refitting.
It's expected to arrive there on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on
tides and weather.
Once there, it will be placed back in dry dock for major
reconstruction that's expected to take 2½ years. Organizers say they
plan to return the ship to its home port of Plymouth in 2019, in time
for the 400th anniversary celebrations to be held in 2020.
Officials have been scrambling to raise $12 million for the
restoration project.
The Mayflower II has been a major regional tourist attraction and
educational resource since 1957.


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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3965398/Where-Pilgrims-landed-1620-Archaeologists-say-bones-Constance-calf-finally-reveal-exact-spot-original-Plymouth-settlement.html#ixzz4Qriv4jQY
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