He reveals profound mysteries beyond man’s
understanding. He knows all hidden things, for he is light, and darkness is no
obstacle to him.—Daniel 2:22
I couldn’t say no. A chance to get together with longtime friend Tracy
and explore history—I’d definitely go—despite the scorching heat.
There we were standing on the grounds of an archaeological
dig, wiping sweat from our brow, in the oppressive 90-degree temperature,
listening to Tracy’s son Christopher deliver a crash course in Archaeology 101. A student at St. Mary’s College, Christopher
was involved in archaeological field work at Historic St. Mary's City, the site
of the fourth permanent settlement in British North America. He invited us to tour the site to see what
his team had uncovered—literally. I
listened intently as he pointed out the varying layers of soil, notably marked
by differences in color and texture, including the plow zone, which extends
beneath the surface to the depth at which a plow would penetrate. He explained how his team had dug a pit and
stopped when they reached a black plastic barrier left behind by a previous
team, indicating their stopping point. I was in awe as Christopher shared treasured
findings, such as broken pottery, fence lines and outlines of colonial homes, including
the brick foundation of the Brome-Howard house—surprisingly built on the foundation
of the Calvert home.
