Wonder what it feels like to discover the remains of the boyhood home of George Washington? Just ask the archeologist team who investigated the finds at Ferry Farm , located just across from the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, Virginia. While a host of great gems were uncovered, there were many who dreamed of proving the hatchet and cherry tree myth. In this article, you learn more about this find, as well as new theories regarding an ancient she-wolf statue.
1st President’s Boyhood Home Discovered
It was an associate professor of history from the University of South Florida that came across evidence that Washington lived in a residence that measured 1-½ stories when he was young. The house provided a view that overlooked the nearby river. The researchers present believe that if George Washington chopped down the cherry tree as folklore would have it, then they were standing in the midst of the site. Disappointedly, a hatchet was not one of the artifacts found in the vicinity.
So far, this site will provide a better look at the 1st president of the United States, as there really isn’t much documentary proof that points to the earliest years of Washington’s life.
Over the period of seven years, there have been three separate locations that have been excavated. It was during the first part of the 18th century that the site where the base of Washington’s residence was constructed. Researchers used what they knew to date the site, as he was born in 1732 and the visual information seemed to match up. The artifacts are also highly likely to have some sort of connection to his family. Overall, it was a great discovery that will lead researchers into learning more about Washington.
Some of the artifacts uncovered so far include remnants of the ceiling, 18th century pottery, shards of glass, wig curlers, toothbrush handles (made from bone), silverware, pipe bowl, two chimney bases, pieces of painted walls, and wine bottles.
New Questions Surface Regarding Ancient She-Wolf Statue
The bronze statue that resides in the city museum on top of Capitoline Hill has ties to Benito Mussolini and ancient Rome, but is not as old as previously thought (according to new theories that have recently surfaced). Many centuries have passed and the she-wolf is still a rather influential symbol of Rome.
At first, the statue in question was dated at thriving throughout Etruscan times, but experts now wonder if the statue is a product of the Middle Ages. Lupa (she-wolf) was dated at being from the 5th century BC when Pope Sixtus IV donated it to the museum in 1471.
One researcher that had the chance to study the statue during a restoration period clocks the piece as clearly hailing from medieval times. This would make the statue more than 1,000 years younger than previously envisioned , like from the 7th and 8th centuries.
Why would one believe that the statue is younger than first suspected? Carbon dating on bits of dirt and clay suggest that the statue was cast in the 7th or 8th century AD.