UD anthropology students have been excavating some areas around the historic Read House in New Castle.
Around 10 students in a class called “American Culture: Archaeological Perspectives” have been digging around the Read House’s driveway area and its back lot.
“They are looking at issues of nationalism, so the Read House is a great site to be studying as it was in the early 1800s," said Katie McDade with the Read House.
She says while the group hasn’t found anything significant so far, it has unearthed some pottery shards and bones - noting similar projects in the past have uncovered materials from George Read I’s time in the home.
McDade says this current project is one of many UD students have been involved in on the Read House’s grounds - and greater New Castle.
“So they’ve kind of used New Castle as a historic lab to do work in and archaeological projects," McDade said.
The project also serves a practical purpose: the Read House was recently designated a national historic landmark and received grant funding to upgrade the home’s HVAC system. The UD students’ work will provide that HVAC project a better picture of what’s underground near the home.
