Beneath the City: An Archaeological Perspective of Albany

The popular exhibition demonstrates how archaeology can provide a unique way of learning about the past. Beneath the city of Albany's streets, sidewalks, backyards, and buildings are layers of soil that contain objects that were made, used, and discarded by former residents. Recent archaeological excavations have uncovered items related to the early 17th-century Dutch settlement, an 18th-century rum distillery, the expansion of the city from the initial settlement, and the daily life of its residents. The catalog presents vivid color images of these artifacts and the results of archaeologists research on these materials, as well as period maps, photographs of the excavations, and paintings depicting scenes of 17th- and 18th-century life.

The exhibition opened at the New York State Museum in June 2007 and its content forms the basis of this catalog. The catalog documents the State Museum s accomplishments in understanding the people of colonial Albany, how they interacted with others, and how they constructed the world around them.