New Archaeological Project to Study BVI’s Historic Sites

~~Adz:Right~~ TORTOLA, B. V. I- The first steps in a new archaeological project, which aims to be a long-term exploration of the BVI’s 18th and 19th century history will take next month. 

In August, a team of graduate students from the University of California, Berkeley, plans to begin surveying and mapping the BVI’s historic sites, in preparation for archaeological research.  The project will be led by Mr. John M. Chenoweth, a PhD student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States and will form the basis of his dissertation.

Director of Culture Mrs. Luce Hodge-Smith said “we at the Department of Culture are very pleased with Mr. Chenoweth and his team visiting the BVI to conduct an archaeological dig, particularly in light of the fact that the other teams which usually visit will not be conducting digs in the BVI this year.  We anxiously look forward to their findings”.

“While my focus is on the Quaker period, I am very interested in understanding the whole history of the site, from the pre-Columbian native groups who lived there, to the famous Dr. Lettsome and his Quaker contemporaries, to the not-so-famous but equally important African-descended enslaved people who lived there (and were freed there),”  Mr. Chenoweth said.

He added “This little island encapsulates, I think, many fascinating parts of the entire history of the region, from pre-history down to today.” Mr. Chenoweth also commented that the rich history of the British Virgin Islands provides many opportunities for historical and archaeological study.
 
Mr. Chenoweth said he is interested in communicating with those persons who are interested in the BVI’s history and archaeology.  Volunteers from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) may assist the project this summer, and future projects may have room for other volunteers.  Public lectures at HLSCC and elsewhere, and programmes with local youth groups and schools are also planned to share the project and its results with the BVI community.

The goal of the project is to learn about the past peoples of the BVI—how they lived their lives, saw their world, and built their communities in the 1700s and 1800s—using the historical record and the archaeology of the places they left behind.  Building on this information, the project will also aim to address questions of anthropological significance beyond the BVI.

The first site to be surveyed this summer will be the “Vanterpool Estate” on Little Jost Van Dyke, which was once the home of the family of Dr. John Coakley Lettsome.  The Lettsome site has been selected because of the interest of the landowners, who are also eager to learn more about the site and its history, and the unique nature of the area’s history. 
 
Due to the increased interest, a new BVI governmental committee has been formed to oversee and approve of archaeological projects like Mr. Chenoweth’s.  The committee is comprised of Ms. Luce Hodge-Smith, Director of the Department of Culture, Mr. Joseph Smith-Abbot, Director of the National Parks Trust, and Dr. Michael O’Neal, President of HLSCC.

There have been several previous archaeological projects in the BVI, including the well-known Belmont pre-historic site in West End and the work of Mr. Michael Kent of HLSCC.