Avery’s Rest burial sites offer window into 17th century living
Well-preserved burial sites of 11 early colonial Delawareans were discovered on land in West Rehoboth, and state officials say they could offer an unprecedented window into 17th century life in the Cape Region.
Secretary of State Jeff Bullock, Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian Institute and members of the Delaware archaeological community revealed their findings at an event Dec. 6 at the Rehoboth Beach Museum.
Eight of the individuals found at the Avery’s Rest site are of European decent, while three others - including one child - were of African decent.
Owsley is almost certain John Avery and his wife Sarah, the landowners in the late 17th century, are among the remains discovered.
“Avery’s Rest provides a rare opportunity to learn about life in the 17th century, not only through the study of buried objects and structures, but also through analyses of well-preserved human skeletal remains,” said Dr. Owsley, who leads the Division of Physical Anthropology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. “The bone and burial evidence provides an intriguing, personal look into the life stories of men, women and children on the Delaware frontier, and adds to a growing body of biological data on the varied experiences of colonist and enslaved populations in the Chesapeake region.”
Avery’s Rest history
The site was discovered in 1976 and was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs raised concerns over proposed development in 2005, and a year later the state gained permission from the landowners to survey the site.
Surveys and excavations were carried out over the next several years before the first of the 11 burials was discovered in September 2012.
After obtaining consent from next-of-kin and landowners, the remains were removed and transferred to the Smithsonian for further analysis.
In March 2017, the Smithsonian confirms age, gender and ethnicity of the burials.
Read more in the Friday, Dec. 8 edition of the Cape Gazette
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
