Archeology students unearth lost African-American settlement

(PhysOrg.com) -- A group of Temple archeology students are working on the Timbuctoo Discovery Project to unearth an African-American settlement dating to the U.S. Civil War.

On the North Branch of Rancocas Creek in New Jersey’s Burlington County, Temple archeology students are shedding light on an important era in American history.

The group is working on the Timbuctoo Discovery Project, a joint effort between Westampton Township, Temple and a coalition of community members and historians to unearth an African-American settlement dating to the U.S. Civil War. Known as Timbuctoo, the area was settled in the mid-1820s by newly freed African Americans who sought to establish a place where they could for the first time own their own land, build homes and establish churches, schools and businesses.

Led by graduate student Chris Barton, the Temple students began excavating last fall. Since then, they’ve located several brick structures that date back to the pre-Civil War era, and have discovered several artifacts that give insight into the people who established Timbuctoo.

“We’re looking at how this community defined itself during a period in American history where African Americans were seen as second-class citizens, and how the community viewed itself within a larger global context,” said Barton.

The group has also unearthed toy marbles, cast iron buffalo figurines and toy guns — findings that suggest that Timbuctoo had a large population of children, Barton said.

“It really speaks to the power of archaeology,” said Barton, whose graduate studies focus on the archeology of children. “We get so bogged down in ideas and theories about the adults that occupy areas that we forget about the children’s lives.”

The archeologists on the project have also located grave markers for African Americans who fought in the Civil War.

“We have 13 markers, but looking at the geophysical survey, there are several more graves underneath each marker,” Barton said.

Patricia Markert, a field assistant and recent Temple graduate, is responsible for conducting ethnographic research on Timbuctoo. She has spent the past several months interviewing descendents of the town’s residents, and is grateful that the area is the focus of such a comprehensive project.

“Timbuctoo is getting what it deserves, which is its recognition and its story being told,” she said.

Provided by Temple University