Thatโ€™s A Wrap! Ferry Farmโ€™s Dig Season Recap

October just happens to be Virginia Archaeology Month, and what better way to celebrate than to recap this summerโ€™s excavation at George Washingtonโ€™s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm. You might remember from our dig preview, that this yearโ€™s dig (FF-44) focused on the continued exploration of the 18th-century kitchen site located just northeast of the … Continue reading Thatโ€™s A Wrap! Ferry Farmโ€™s Dig Season Recap

Thievery, Espionage, and Fancy Dishes: Why Porcelain Was a Big Deal for the Washington Family

Porcelain is the king of all ceramics.ย  As resilient as it is beautiful, porcelain has long fascinated many people.ย  During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Chinese began exporting porcelain to Europeans, who coveted the precious dishes to the point that porcelain became more valuable than gold.ย  Europeans obsessed over how it was produced and … Continue reading Thievery, Espionage, and Fancy Dishes: Why Porcelain Was a Big Deal for the Washington Family