Photo courtesy of City of Alexandria
Two more ships discovered in Alexandria
Two more ships — likely from the late 1700s or 1800s — have been found in Alexandria, the City announced Monday.
Archaeologists under contract with a developer found the remains of the two historic ships at the construction site in Old Town Alexandria where Robinson Terminal South was previously located, the City noted.
Preliminary evaluation suggests that the ships are likely from the same period from which a ship was discovered nearby at the Hotel Indigo construction site in late 2015. That ship is now under reconstruction at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
"The discovery of three historic ships in a two-block area is absolutely incredible," said Eleanor Breen, acting City Archaeologist. "There have been very few ships from this era excavated in Virginia or nationwide."
The City will oversee an analysis to help determine next steps, and will continue to provide updates. As part of a private construction site, the artifacts are not currently open to public view and are not visible from the street. The mixed-use development, called Robinson Landing is under construction by EYA and will feature townhomes, condos and a waterfront restaurant.
The Alexandria Archaeological Protection Code requires developers to have archaeologists on site to monitor all phases of ground disturbance. This ensures that any historic features encountered during demolition and construction are dealt with properly so that Alexandria's history is enriched though archaeological study.
As development of the Alexandria waterfront continues, excavations have the potential to continue to unearth additional evidence of early wharves and piers, maritime vessels, early industries, and commercial and domestic activities.
For more information about Alexandria Archaeology, visit alexandriava.gov/Archaeology.
