All photos: Courtesy of Rowan University
A team of Rowan University archeologists had been digging all summer at New Jersey’s Red Bank Battlefield Park to find remnants of Revolutionary War battles. They were thrilled to find a rare coin dating back to 1766 – but they were shocked to find something else: A human femur.
Over 4 digs, archeologists and volunteers uncovered the remains of 13 Hessian soldiers (German troops hired by the British) in what they think may have been a mass grave.
Take a look behind the scenes at the dig that unearthed some major South Jersey history.
Wade Catts, principal archaeologist, records findings in the Fort Mercer trench during the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project excavation.
Each item found at the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project excavation is examined on site and cataloged before being removed for cleaning and laboratory analysis.
Meticulous notes on each item found at the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project will help historians refine and confirm the details of the battle at Red Bank.
While most of the work in the trench required careful manual labor with hand tools, the team also used a metal detector and ground penetrating radar at key points in the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project.
History professor Jennifer Janofsky holds a rare 1766 King George III gold guinea, the equivalent of a soldier’s wages for a month, found during the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project excavation.
Archaeologist Dana Linck, forensic dentist Stuart Alexander and New Jersey State Police forensic anthropologist Anna Delaney confer at the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project excavation.
Archaeologist Dana Linck, forensic dentist Stuart Alexander and New Jersey State Police forensic anthropologist Anna Delaney confer at the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project excavation.
Volunteers Joe Reilly, Drew Stanzeski, Guy Digiugno and others processed tons of soil and debris from the trench to salvage tiny artifacts from the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project.
Volunteers Joe Reilly and Guy Digiugno helped process tons of soil and debris from the trench to salvage tiny artifacts from the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project.
Volunteer Guy Digiugno screens material at the excavation site during the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project.
