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You are here: Home / Building on the Past – Archaeology

Building on the Past – Archaeology

Archaeology dig at Fairfield

Image courtesy of Wessex Archaeology Ltd

We believe that the past is best understood by “doing” history – by becoming an active participant in discovering the lives of everyday people.  Archaeology is the cornerstone of the Fairfield Foundation’s research and outreach activities.  Our goal is to learn about the past through the physical examination of the landscape and the recovery of artifacts from every period of human occupation.  Since November 2000 we’ve focused our research on Fairfield plantation. We utilized shovel testing and ground penetrating radar in plowed fields to identify concentrations of artifacts and features across the acreage surrounding the manor house ruin.  These concentrations represent significant buildings, landscape features, and activity areas dating from the prehistoric period to the present day.  We followed up our initial surveys with in-depth excavations designed to identify the specific locations and forms of buildings, trash disposal layers, fencelines, and other features.  Over the last decade we’ve uncovered and studied large clay borrow pits, slave quarters, and extensive enclosed gardens, in addition to the foundations of the manor house, which represents an important landmark of 17th-century architectural design.  These investigations are helping us understand the original appearance and evolution of this complex plantation landscape.

Fairfield Foundation Co-Director, Thane Harpole takes a break at the cellar entrance of Fairfield.

Alongside our work in the field we continue to examine the extensive collection of historic documents related to the Burwell family and Fairfield plantation throughout its history.  The synthesis of archaeological and historical information will ultimately lead to a more accurate understanding of the lives of slaves, servants, land owners, and all of Fairfield plantation’s residents.  Add to this a growing database of oral histories, passed on from generation to generation and describing the changing plantation landscape and the formation of the African-American community after the Civil War, and you can understand the amazing potential to add to our understanding of over 400 years of human history.

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Upcoming Events

Feb
1
Wed
10:00 am CAPE Artifact Wash Day @ CAPE
CAPE Artifact Wash Day @ CAPE
Feb 1 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
CAPE artifact wash days are returning and open to the public! In an extension of our popular volunteer lab nights, we will now host a variety of artifact wash days at the CAPE. Any volunteers[...]
Feb
4
Sat
10:30 am Artifact Wash Day at Gloucester ...
Artifact Wash Day at Gloucester ...
Feb 4 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Join us at the library for an artifact washing event! Call the Gloucester County Public Library for more information and to register! 804-693-2998
Feb
7
Tue
6:00 pm Volunteer Lab Night @ CAPE
Volunteer Lab Night @ CAPE
Feb 7 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Volunteer Lab Nights have returned to the CAPE! Join us from 6-9 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of each month to help wash artifacts, learn about archaeology, and more! Free and open to[...]
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From the blog

  • King William Courthouse and Quarles Tavern Archaeology January 25, 2023
  • Mary Willis Burwell’s Portrait Returns to Gloucester October 26, 2022
  • Looking Towards the Future: A Peek Inside the Development of Fairfield’s New Online Museum October 18, 2022
  • Summer Archaeology Camps 2022 October 5, 2022
  • Help Us Enrich the African American Story at Fairfield Archaeology Park June 17, 2022

Center for Archaeology, Preservation and Education (CAPE)

Opening Hours:

Grounds are open to the public to view our building exterior and signage. The CAPE is open for tours on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or at other times by appointment. Lab nights at the CAPE are on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 6-9pm.
6783 Main Street
Gloucester, VA 23061

News From the Blog

  • King William Courthouse and Quarles Tavern Archaeology January 25, 2023
  • Mary Willis Burwell’s Portrait Returns to Gloucester October 26, 2022
  • Looking Towards the Future: A Peek Inside the Development of Fairfield’s New Online Museum October 18, 2022

Looking for Something?

Contact Us

For more information about Fairfield and other historic resources on the Middle Peninsula, please contact us. We can arrange tours of the Fairfield site and deliver presentations on a variety of topics related to local history and archaeology.

The Fairfield Foundation
P.O. Box 157 White Marsh VA 23183
Phone:
(804) 815-4467
Email:
fairfield@fairfieldfoundation.org
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