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Archaeological Field School

Archaeological Field School

Discovery at Monticello reveals construction secrets Thomas Jefferson left out of maps and letters

Discovery at Monticello reveals construction secrets Thomas Jefferson left out of maps and letters

MSNAndrea Margolis

Discovery at Monticello reveals construction secrets Thomas Jefferson left out of maps and letters

Discovery at Monticello reveals construction secrets Thomas Jefferson left out of maps and letters

Archaeology isn’t just about what we uncover, it’s about sharing it! 🗣️ Kyle explains how public engagement helps turn discoveries on the East Lawn into meaningful stories, whether you’re visiting in person or following along online. Stick with us for more behind-the-scenes with Archaeology at Monticello ! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Archaeology isn’t just about what we uncover, it’s about sharing it! 🗣️ Kyle explains how public engagement helps turn discoveries on the East Lawn into meaningful stories, whether you’re visiting in person or following along online. Stick with us for more behind-the-scenes with Archaeology at Monticello ! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

4.8K views5 months ago

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We’re back in Monticello’s Archaeology Lab! 🧪 While discoveries begin in the field, it’s in the lab where artifacts truly come to life. Every object is carefully cleaned, cataloged, analyzed, and entered into Monticello’s Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery (DAACS) database. In today’s video, lab analyst Chris Devine takes us behind the scenes to show how this essential work helps piece together the stories of the past. 🔍 | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

We’re back in Monticello’s Archaeology Lab! 🧪 While discoveries begin in the field, it’s in the lab where artifacts truly come to life. Every object is carefully cleaned, cataloged, analyzed, and entered into Monticello’s Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery (DAACS) database. In today’s video, lab analyst Chris Devine takes us behind the scenes to show how this essential work helps piece together the stories of the past. 🔍 | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

9.3K views9 months ago

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Last month, Archaeology at Monticello gave us an overview of the privy vent tunnel. Today, Crystal and the archaeology field crew are back again with some fascinating updates and info. Watch to learn more! 🔎 Don’t miss the Archaeology Open House THIS Saturday, October 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Head to the link to join us: bit.ly/archaeology-open-house | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Last month, Archaeology at Monticello gave us an overview of the privy vent tunnel. Today, Crystal and the archaeology field crew are back again with some fascinating updates and info. Watch to learn more! 🔎 Don’t miss the Archaeology Open House THIS Saturday, October 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Head to the link to join us: bit.ly/archaeology-open-house | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

41.9K views7 months ago

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Trowels, shovels, and tools… oh my! Today, the Monticello Archaeology team is digging into the details, literally. 🪏 Discover the essential tools archaeologists use on site and the fascinating reasons behind their choices. Follow Archaeology at Monticello for more! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Trowels, shovels, and tools… oh my! Today, the Monticello Archaeology team is digging into the details, literally. 🪏 Discover the essential tools archaeologists use on site and the fascinating reasons behind their choices. Follow Archaeology at Monticello for more! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

2.2K views6 months ago

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Slavery at Monticello Tour

We asked our mountaintop archaeology field crew: “what's your favorite archaeology tool?” 🤔💭 Which tool fascinated you the most? Let us know in the comments! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

4.2K views8 months ago

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🔬 Ever wonder how Monticello’s archaeology team studies the smallest details on artifacts? Lab analyst Miranda is showing off the Dino-Lite, a digital microscope that lets us zoom in on the microscopic marks, textures, and materials that help us better understand life at Monticello. Take an up-close look with us, and follow Archaeology at Monticello for more! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

4.4K views5 months ago

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Today, Archaeology at Monticello is giving us a deep dive into their flotation process! 🌊 Flotation is a method of collecting artifacts that may not be visible to the naked eye or that would fall through screens used to recover artifacts in the field. In this video, archaeological analyst Miranda shows how the team uses the flotation tank to process samples. Check it out! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

4.7K views9 months ago

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We’re back with another peek behind the scenes with Monticello Archaeology! 🧱 Last week, we showed you the how of washing artifacts, now Field Tech Chris Lin is here to share the why. 👉 Follow Archaeology at Monticello for more and join us next week for another archaeology update! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

5K views9 months ago

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Explore Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, a historic escape with scenic gardens, mountain views, and powerful history, all just a short drive from Raleigh. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

47.9K views7 months ago

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Fun fact — archaeology involves way more than just digging! Finding an artifact in the field is just the first step in the larger process of learning from an object and the site it came from. Learn more about Monticello's Archaeology Lab in today's video from featuring archaeologist Corey Sattes. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

6.7K views11 months ago

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Archaeology is continuing excavations on the East Lawn, and this week, they’ve shifted focus to the privy. Watch the full video to see what they’re uncovering. Follow Archaeology at Monticello for more finds. Planning a visit? Don’t miss the Archaeology in Action tour: 👉 bit.ly/42zA58m | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

28.5K views8 months ago

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We’re back with another archaeology update! 🧱 🪣 Today’s video features Crystal O’Connor, our Manager of Archaeological Field Research, who is sharing some details about the Monticello-UVA Archeology Field School! To learn more about what the past six weeks have looked like for the field school participants, head over to Archaeology at Monticello and come visit us in-person at monticello.org/visit. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

7.9K views10 months ago

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Curious about a day in the life of an archaeologist? Spend a day with the Monticello Field Crew! | Archaeology at Monticello

854 views6 months ago

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📘 As Virginia Archaeology Month comes to a close, we're sharing another update from Archaeology at Monticello! This week’s highlight: The Munsell Soil Color Book. Archaeologists use this tool to accurately identify and describe soil colors in the field. Why does that matter? Consistent soil color identification is key to standardized recordkeeping, allowing archaeologists to compare findings across sites and time periods with accuracy and precision. Have you ever noticed different colors in the

2.7K views6 months ago

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We’ve been sharing stories from our incredible archaeology team for a while now, and we’re excited to dig even deeper with a brand-new series! Over the next several weeks, we're spotlighting a different field or lab task that highlights the work of Monticello's archaeology team, starting with mapping! Mapping plays a key role in archaeological documentation. Watch the video to see the process in action, and check back next week for more hands-on highlights. Be sure to follow Archaeology at Monti

9K views7 months ago

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📸 Did you know photography plays a crucial role in archaeology? Hear from Luke with Archaeology at Monticello as he shares why documenting excavations is so important, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the tools used to capture each step of the process. Tune in next week for more archaeology insights! | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

3.6K views6 months ago

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It’s time for another peek behind the trowel with our archaeology team! 🔍 In today’s update, Chris walks us through the context reporting that keeps Monticello’s archaeology accurate and organized: think soil colors, elevations, artifact notes, and more! Watch to learn how each detail makes its way into the DAACS database, and join us next week as we head back to the lab for more behind-the-scenes archaeology. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

2K views6 months ago

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Today, we’re back on the East Lawn to break down one of the most essential steps of archaeological fieldwork — screening! 🪣 Project Archaeologist Mia Armstrong walks us through how, by sifting dirt through ¼-inch mesh screens, archaeologists uncover even the smallest finds and document where each artifact comes from, down to its quadrant and context. Watch to learn more, and stick with us for more behind-the-scenes from Archaeology at Monticello. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

6.9K views4 months ago

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Slavery at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

4.8K viewsApr 17, 2017

During Thomas Jefferson’s lifetime, the Monticello plantation encompassed 5,000 acres. Today the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the private nonprofit that owns and operates Monticello, owns roughly 2,500 acres of Jefferson’s original holdings. While much of it is not seen by the public, our hardworking staff are constantly working to protect and preserve this land and the history found within it. Learn more in this video, and then join us here on our Facebook page today, April 20, at 1:00 p.m. ET

8.9K viewsApr 20, 2021

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Jefferson was Monticello's architect. But many of its finest architectural features -- including this lovely Elliptical Arch in Monticello's Library -- were realized by two highly skilled joiners, James Dinsmore, a hired worker, and John Hemmings, who was enslaved at Monticello. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

14.8K viewsSep 5, 2017

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Since the 1950s, archaeological research has been ongoing at Monticello. Extensive excavations have amassed a body of knowledge that makes Monticello one of the best studied plantations in the world. Learn more on our Plantation Archaeology Walking Tour, which resumes for the 2024 season THIS weekend! Guests will visit Site 30, see artifacts from the field, and learn about the history of the Monticello plantation. See details: bit.ly/3PszSgS | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

1.1K viewsMar 18, 2024

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In this video, hear from Monticello’s Crystal O’Connor about our current archaeology project on the mountaintop. | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

59K viewsApr 25, 2025

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Today, Monticello announced the identification of six additional individuals enslaved by Thomas Jefferson: Moses, Nanny, Mary Ann Hern, Robert, and two children whose names remain unknown. These individuals were honored during a private dedication ceremony at the Contemplative Site in August 2025. The discoveries, made between fall 2024 and summer 2025, are a result of ongoing work from Monticello’s Getting Word African American History at Monticello Department, which preserves the family histor

10.8K views6 months ago

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Beneath Monticello’s East Lawn, archaeologists recently excavated part of a 150-foot-long stone tunnel — built to ventilate three indoor privies Thomas Jefferson installed in the late 1790s! These “air closets” were designed by Jefferson to pull odors down and away from the house, reflecting his interest in European innovations shaped by his time in Paris. 🎥 Watch to learn more about this hidden feature, and click here to read the Archaeology at Monticello blog post to dive deeper. https://bit.

49.5K views4 months ago

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🪏Curious about what it’s like to dig into history at Monticello? Hear from one of our project archaeologists in this video, then come experience it for yourself at our Archaeology Open House on Saturday, October 11! Join us on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for expert insights, recent discoveries, walking tours, and hands-on activities for all ages. See details and learn more: bit.ly/archaeology-open-house Archaeology at Monticello | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

5.7K views7 months ago

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