Bottles with preserved fruit found in Mount Vernon cellar (Credit: George Brown/Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)

Archaeologists have found 35 glass bottles dating back to the 18th century in George Washington's Mount Vernon home. Twenty-nine bottles were intact and contained perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants. The exciting discovery, announced on June 13, 2024, was made during the excavation of six storage pits in the cellar. The exercise is part of a $40 million revitalization project to preserve the historic Virginia mansion for future generations.

"Finding what is essentially fresh fruit, 250 years later, is pretty spectacular," said principal archaeologist Jason Boroughs. "All the stars sort of have to align in the right manner for that to happen."

The bottles contained perfectly preserved cherries and berries (Credit: Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)

The bottles were made in England in the mid-1700s. They were probably buried under the clay sometime before 1776. The bottles were likely forgotten after George Washington departed the mansion in 1775 to take command of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The important artifacts provide a rare glimpse into the daily life and culinary practices of the Washingtons and the people around them.

"The bottles and contents are actually material items that were connected to real lives and real people in the past," said Boroughs. "They may have been intended for the Washingtons' table, but they were certainly picked and packaged and stored by members of the enslaved community here."

The bottles were found in storage pits in the cellar (Credit: Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)

The preserved fruits were carefully removed and sent to scientists at the US Department of Agriculture for analysis. Initial reports suggest that the cherries were likely a tart variety. This may have helped preserve them.

Next, the team plans to extract DNA from the cherries and compare it to existing varieties. This would reveal the exact species the Washingtons enjoyed. The information could also provide valuable insights into how Virginia's climate has changed over time. Furthermore, the scientists plan to investigate if they can germinate any of the preserved cherry seeds. The resulting tree would serve as a living artifact of American history!

Resources: prnewswire.com, npr.com, CNN.com