Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland

A different burial site in Maryland provided archaeologists with insights into a different colonial family. This grave, excavated beneath the foundation of a chapel in St. Mary’s City, was among colonial America’s most unique resting places. The chapel, a solid brick structure dedicated to Catholic worship, was an anomaly in the English-speaking world during colonial times. Unlike other English settlements, Maryland was founded as a haven for Catholics but allowed all Christians to practice their faith freely.

The chapel, built around 1667, served as a house of worship until 1704, when religious freedom ended in Maryland. The chapel was dismantled, and its foundation was buried under layers of soil. In the fall of 1990, two archaeologists discovered a metal coffin beneath the chapel’s foundation. The unexpected find turned out to be a lead coffin, a rare burial practice in colonial America and therefore an indication that the deceased was someone of significant importance. Further excavation revealed two more lead coffins, one larger and one smaller, likely for a small child.

This led to the creation of Project Lead Coffins, a scientific study to examine the coffins and their contents. Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and gamma rays, the team mapped the chapel’s foundation and examined the coffins’ interiors.