Archaeologists discover third ship at Robinson Landing construction site

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Archaeologists discover third ship at Robinson Landing construction site
A construction crew and Thunderbird archaeologists work to excavate the Robinson Terminal South site (Photo Credit: Alexa Epitropoulos)
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By Missy Schrott | mschrott@alextimes.com

The City of Alexandria announced in a press release archaeologists under contract with developer EYA have found the remains of a third historic ship at Robinson Landing. This comes three weeks after the city announced two ships had been found at the site.

Archaeologists believe all three ships at the site were built in the mid-to-late 1700s and were buried before 1798. A similar ship was discovered nearby at the Hotel Indigo site in 2015. The most recent ship discovery is the largest yet in the area.

The city and EYA will hold a public viewing of the site from the unit block of Wolfe Street on April 14 from noon to 4 p.m. Archaeologists will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The active construction site will not be open to the public during the viewing, but many notable elements of the site will be visible, including the most recent ship discovery. The ships will be covered before and after the viewing in order to protect the wood from exposure.

“Working in Alexandria for more than 20 years, we recognize and respect the rich history of the city and the importance of preserving discoveries of this kind,” Evan Goldman, EYA vice president of acquisition and development, said in a statement.

“We’re committed to this unprecedented effort to protect the archaeological history of Old Town.  The results have gone well beyond what we expected, and we are thrilled by the significance of the findings and their unique ability to preserve the legacy of the city for years to come,” Goldman said.

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