Archaeologists from the Rivanna Archaeological Services, LLC have discovered 18 additional grave shafts and numerous historical artifacts near Jefferson Park Avenue and Venable Lane during the past three months.
The first cluster of 12 grave shafts was discovered in 1993 and the latest findings bring the total number of grave shafts to 32, grouped in four clusters.
The graves are unmarked and undocumented, but archaeologists have dated them to the 19th century. At least one cluster is believed to have belonged to Catherine "Kitty" Foster and her descendants, a family of freed slaves who owned the property from 1833 until 1906. It is unknown whether the other grave clusters belong to extensions of the Foster family or whether the site was a cemetery for the community.
Rivanna Archaeological Services will continue to investigate the site and will issue a report on their findings, according to University Architect Mary Hughes.
"We do not have identities on the new burials that have been discovered," Hughes said. "The first step is trying to figure out, if we can, the extent of the cemetery and who might be buried there."
The University does not plan to dig deeper or excavate the graves, but will make the site into a public park and memorial that will incorporate its history.
"The design for [the park] will proceed with the [South Lawn] building design," Hughes said. "They will be relying upon the information from the archaeological investigation in order to know what they are designing around."
The archaeological investigations will not affect the building of the South Lawn. There is currently no timeline for the project because it is still in its fundraising phase, according to University Spokesperson Carol Wood. In addition, the University is now in the process of searching for a new architect after the previous architect withdrew.
"Right now we're concentrating on the [architecture] selection process and that's good," Hughes said. "It gives us an opportunity to focus on the [grave] site without any pressure."
Plans for the new South Lawn project include facilities for several departments, including history, religious studies, politics and sociology.
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