Archaeologists uncovered some 35 bottles in Mount Vernon that they believe to be cherries from the 18th century.
The discovery began a month ago when two bottles were initially unearthed in the cellar of George Washington’s Virginia mansion. Then, even more were uncovered including 29 bottles still perfectly intact and sealed. Some bottles included other berries that have yet to be identified but are presumed to be gooseberries or currants.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine this spectacular archaeological discovery,” Mount Vernon President and CEO Doug Bradburn said in a statement. “To our knowledge, this is an unprecedented find, and nothing of this scale and significance has ever been excavated in North America. We now possess a bounty of artifacts and matter to analyze that may provide a powerful glimpse into the origins of our nation, and we are crossing our fingers that the cherry pits discovered will be viable for future germination.”