On the sweeping lawn of the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, archaeologists and students from the Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research are meticulously excavating a former colonial-era work yard, unearthing artifacts that shed light on life in Marblehead and marking the third consecutive summer of digs at the historic site.
Lee, one of the wealthiest merchants in colonial New England, built the mansion in 1768 as a statement of his social and economic power. The Georgian-style estate, now operated by the Marblehead Museum, reflects Lee’s prominence in transatlantic trade and his deep entanglement with both commerce and the Revolution. The mansion once served as the epicenter of Lee’s shipping operations and was home not only to his family but also to several enslaved individuals whose labor supported the household and business.
Reading the remains
“It’s incredibly well archaeologically preserved,” said Christa Beranek, a University of Massachusetts Boston research scientist and lead archaeologist on the local dig site. “The fact that the museum has owned the property for over 100 years means that the 18th and 19th centuries are really, really well preserved here — all the way back to probably the late 1600s even.”
The excavation, which began May 28 and continues until June 27, focuses on understanding how the mansion’s lawn area was used during the Lee family’s occupation of the property in the 1760s and 1770s, as well as earlier periods when the land was owned by the Jackson family.
“The overall goal is to understand how this yard space was used … because there was a barn back there. And instead of being this beautiful formal garden, this was the barnyard, the work yard,” Beranek said. “So a very different looking space than it is today.”
The team has uncovered evidence that challenges modern perceptions of the manicured grounds. In a test pit near the stairs, they found a bone knife handle from the mid-1700s.
“You know, I thought, ‘That’s crazy cool,’” said Adrian Cerqueira, an undergraduate student participating in the dig, upon reflecting on the historic find. For Cerqueira, the field experience is valuable training for his future in archaeology.
“What I always explain to people is that through field school, it allows me to get this sort of certification for future projects that kind of show that I have now put my, I guess, scholastic dedication to the field and get trusted to do honest work,” Cerqueira said.
Cerqueira describes “field school” as essentially “archeology school,” a practical application of classroom learning.
“The theoretical concepts learned in archeology classes are applied quite literally in the field,” Cerqueira stated. “Being immersed in it makes the learning come naturally.”
The team has uncovered multiple features on the property including cobbled surfaces, evidence of food preparation and hints at the daily lives of those who lived and worked there, including enslaved individuals owned by the Lee family.
“We found a mouth harp. So like, there are people having recreational, you know, breaks from work. There are people doing sewing. There are maybe people doing laundry. There’s butchered animal bone,” Beranek said.
The graduate students bring diverse experiences to the Lee Mansion project. Ella Virkler has engaged with archaeological collections from Virginia to Maine and conducted site work at an indigenous site in North Carolina, a Roman site in Portugal, and Mount Vernon. Her thesis research focuses on Sylvester Manor on Long Island, New York.
Her working partner on Tuesday was Maggie Partiff, a graduate student whose background includes work in the federal sector, such as at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and experience at the Genesee Country Village and Museum near Rochester, New York.
Handling the analysis of the site’s extensive bone collection is Virkler, who specializes in zooarchaeology — the intricate study of animal remains.
Cerqueira marveled over her ability to identify bones with ease, and her approach to the bones is shaped by a deeply personal connection to the animal world.
“I grew up on a beef cattle farm in North Carolina,” Virkler explained, “and so I grew up obviously knowing very much how animals can impact human day-to-day life.” This firsthand understanding of animal husbandry and its daily realities now informs her scholarly work, offering a practical lens through which to interpret the faunal evidence emerging from the Lee Mansion’s past.
Fragments of a former world
The excavation has also revealed connections to global trade networks.
“Some of the things that came out of these layers here include, like, red clay tobacco pipes, which might have been made in Virginia. And so those might be things that people actually picked up when they traveled to Virginia as part of Lee’s shipping, merchant vessels and brought back so real, like tangible connections that the people are carrying,” Beranek said.
Partiff values the connection to the local community.
“It’s very nice to feel like what you’re doing is important to the people around you, and they support the work that you’re doing,” Partiff said.
She added the support from Lauren McCormack, executive director of the Marblehead Museum, has been especially welcomed.
“Lauren has expressed nothing but excitement and interest in what we’re doing, and she has been very helpful in guiding research questions too,” Partiff added.
The archaeological project, which was originally supported by federal funding through the Essex National Heritage Area, faced uncertainty when the Trump administration rescinded the federal grant of over $2,000.
“The museum is dedicated to telling this history. It’s essential to understanding our present to understand all of our history as a community, and that’s not going to change,” McCormack said in March when discussing the funding challenges.
Despite the funding setback, local donors stepped in to ensure the archaeological work could continue.
“It was wonderful that the people in Marblehead were able to step up and do that, but we don’t want to have to rely just on local communities,” Beranek said. “Local communities are always the strongest advocates for their own story. But ideally we’d like state level support, federal level support for these really important local stories.”
The Marblehead Museum plans to incorporate findings into exhibits about the property and the people who lived and worked there, including both the Lee family and those they enslaved.
“This isn’t just a local story. This is a story about urban 8th century ports,” Beranek noted. “Marblehead was one of the biggest cities in the English speaking colony in 1760.”
The group will work on the site from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during the weekdays until June 27. The public is invited to visit the site and ask questions.
