In a remarkable discovery, archaeologists excavating Mount Vernon, the historic home of George Washington, have uncovered 35 glass bottles filled with cherries and berries. The bottles were found in five storage pits located in the mansion's cellar, with 29 of them still intact and containing perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants.

The excavation took place during the ongoing $40 million revitalization project at Mount Vernon in Virginia. The 18th-century bottles, composed of materials and foodstuffs that are believed to be around 250 years old, were carefully extracted from the pits and refrigerated. They are now set to undergo scientific analysis to gain valuable insights into their age and contents.

This latest discovery follows the recent find of two intact European-manufactured glass bottles, also from the 18th century, filled with liquid, cherries, and pits in the same cellar, according to George Washington's Mount Vernon organization. Mount Vernon President and CEO Doug Bradburn described these finds as an "unprecedented" and "blockbuster" discovery, with nothing of this scale and significance ever being excavated in North America.

It is speculated that these bottles may have been forgotten when George Washington left Mount Vernon to take command of the Continental Army. In fact, Bradburn suggests that these artifacts likely haven't seen the light of day since before the American Revolution, making their recent excavation all the more significant, especially with the 250th anniversary of the United States approaching.

Furthermore, the team at Mount Vernon is hopeful that the cherry pits found in the bottles may still be viable for future germination. To analyze the contents of the bottles, Mount Vernon has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. In the initial stages of analysis, researchers have already identified 54 cherry pits and 23 stems, indicating that the bottles were once filled with cherries.

The cherries found are likely of a tart variety, which tends to have a more acidic composition that may have aided in their preservation over the years. There are plans to extract DNA from the cherries, enabling researchers to compare them against a database and potentially identify their exact species.

The discovery of these 35 glass bottles of cherries and berries provides a fascinating glimpse into the culinary practices and preservation techniques of the 18th century. The ongoing scientific analysis of these relics promises to reveal more about their cultural and historical significance, offering a deeper understanding of George Washington's life at Mount Vernon and the early years of the United States.