Archaeologists unearth 18th century glass bottles filled with cherries at George Washington's Mount Vernon
- 35 glass bottles filled with cherries from the 18th century unearthed at George Washington's Mount Vernon.
- Archaeologists discover perfectly preserved berries and cherries in the cellar of George Washington's home.
- Exciting find sheds light on the culinary history of the 18th century.
Archaeologists at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, made a significant discovery of 35 glass bottles filled with cherries and berries in the mansion's cellar during a $40 million renovation project. The bottles, dating back to the 18th century, were found intact and contained perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants. Researchers also found cherry pits and stems in the bottles, indicating they were once full of cherries. The discovery is considered unprecedented in North America, and the cherry pits may be used for future germination. Mount Vernon is working with the US Department of Agriculture to analyze the contents of the bottles, including extracting DNA from the cherries to determine their exact species.