What Lies Beneath: A Look Below Rhode Island’s Historical Burial Grounds

Joseph (Jay) N. Waller, Jr., Senior Archaeologist at The Public Archaeology Laboratory, will discuss the unseen world lying beneath the slate and marble gravestones of our historic burying places.  Drawing from archaeological projects in Rhode Island, he will discuss nineteenth century burial practices and provide examples of common artifacts recovered from historic graves. He also will highlight a recent project in which archaeologists, with private landowner support, identified and relocated internments from a formerly “lost” historic burial ground.

This program is offered in partnership with the Kingston Free Library.

This program is presented as part of the Center’s series “Eternal Rest: Death, Mourning and Memorials.”  The series is made possible through major funding support from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, an independent state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The Council seeds, supports, and strengthens public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders.