The Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Massachusetts, has yielded long-hidden artifacts from the battle fought on June 17, 1775, just in time for the nation's 250th birthday.
As part of the first archaeological digs at the site, crews aim to learn more about the earthen fortification known as the redoubt, built by colonial soldiers overnight before the battle began.
Project Archaeologist for the City of Boston, Lauryn Sharp, explained that prior to the dig, the location of the fortification was unknown. "Even with the monument being built, there wasn't any evidence of where the actual redoubt was, so this is kind of the first hand that we are adding this information back into the story."
Through the dig, crews have found artifacts from 251 years ago, including English and French gun flints and British musket balls. Historian and material culture specialist Joel Bohy examined a musket ball discovered in one of two trenches, noting that it is potentially from a provincial gun.
"You can see it struck the ground at medium velocity, but it's also got what's called a sprue, and it sticks up a lot more than a normal sprue would and that would be how it was molded," Bohy said.
Crews have also found objects unrelated to the battle, such as an 18th-century men's curling iron and ceramics and pipe stems.
The City of Boston archaeology program and American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) are leading the dig, which aims to provide insight into the experiences of soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
AVAR helps veterans transition into careers in professional archaeology, specializing in battlefields and conflict sites both in America and abroad.
CEO of American Veterans Archaeological Recovery, Dr. Stephen Humphreys, emphasized the importance of the project from a military and historical standpoint, noting that archaeology can give a more profound understanding of the experiences of those who fought in the battle.
"251 years ago, next week, there were a lot of men who fought and died here from both sides. So as much as we get excited about these finds, we need to remember the human side of this also," said Bohy.
The artifacts discovered during the dig will be examined in a lab and eventually added to a digital database, making history more tangible and three-dimensional.
As the project may extend beyond its initial two-week timeline, some of the AVAR crew is preparing to head abroad to work on a bomber from World War II in Sicily, aiming to bring closure to families and shed light on America's military history.
