Archaeological Evidence for Early Occupation of Mount Pleasant

Excavation of borrow pit and postholes on the eastern side of the Mount Pleasant structure.

During the initial investigations at the Mount Pleasant site, archaeologists located and excavated a root cellar that was filled with the burned structural debris. In subsequent excavations around this root cellar, close to a dozen postholes were found surrounding this cellar that were the remains of a structure. In addition, a large borrow pit (used for a source of clay) was also located to the east of the postholes. Initially, archaeologists thought that all of these features were interrelated. However, careful analysis of the scorched ceramics, glass, and nails recovered from all of these features revealed the sequence of their formation and how they related to each other.

The root cellar appears to have originally underlay one of the earliest structures at the site - likely predating the occupation of the Madison family's arrival in 1732. We believe this structure was lived in by the overseer and/or original gang of slaves who cleared the land in the mid 1720s. Shortly before the Madisons arrived at the site in 1732, the large borrow pit was dug to obtain clay for making bricks and for clay infill for the walls (clay was placed between the framing timbers for insulation - see finds from main house cellar). Once the kitchen and main house were built, the original structure burned and the remains fell into the small root cellar with the remainder being pushed into the borrow pit. A new slave quarter was then built at the site of the original structure.

This new slave quarter was constructed by digging postholes and setting the studs or posts directly in the ground for support (known as a post-in-ground structure). In the process of digging the postholes, the same scorched nails and glass from the burning of the original structure were mixed into the postholes. The presence of these burn artifacts clued archaeologists to the fact that the post-in-ground structure had to post-date the burning of the original structure at the site. This allowed archaeologists to determine the sequence for construction at the site.

Map showing borrow pit, root cellar, and postholes associated with post-in-ground structure. Note the postholes to the north (above) the structure outline are likely related to a shed addition to the slave quarter. [Click picture for larger image.]	Excavations of borrow pit, root cellar for early structure, and postholes on the western side of the structure. [Click picture for larger image.]