The Archaeological Society of Delaware invites everyone to join us and hear about recent studies in Sussex County history and prehistory. The Avery’s Rest archaeological site represents an important nexus to understand European colonialism and the African diaspora in early frontier contexts. Raquel Fleskes will discuss the new findings from the ancient genomic research of the eleven individuals found at the site, in the context of existing archaeological and osteological research conducted by The Archaeological Society of Delaware, Inc., and the Smithsonian Institution. These findings help us deepen our understanding of site occupation and lived experience at Avery’s Rest.

Raquel Fleskes is an Anthropological Geneticist who uses ancient DNA to understand the histories of European and African descended individuals living in colonial North America. She obtained her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021 and is currently a National Science Foundational Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Connecticut. Her work has largely focused on the mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake regions, with projects at Jamestown and Williamsburg, as well as in Charleston South Carolina, with the Anson Street African Burial Ground Project. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society and published in journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences. 

Archaeology is a scientific discipline that seeks to understand how people lived in the past. It is the only means of learning new information about those who left no written records and provides another avenue of study for those who did leave records. Delaware prehistory dates back of 12,000 years and there is a rich colonial history: all of which can be studied through archaeology.

The Archaeological Society of Delaware is a non-profit organization established to promote the preservation and study of archaeological sites in Delaware. Advocacy is an important aspect of the society as sites succumb to development, coastal erosion, and infrastructure projects. Membership is open to all persons with an interest and there are three chapters (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex).