"Pre-Columbus village unearthed on Virgin Islands"
 
in Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, December 11, 1990, p. A3
 
     CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas (AP) -- Bulldozers at an island
construction zone on St. Thomas have unearthed an archaeological
site that could date to 900 years before Columbus first visited
the Virgin Islands.
     Archaeologist Elizabeth Righter and volunteers from the
National Park Service in Atlanta are carefully documenting the
dig, and indications are it is about 1,400 years old.
     "It's getting more extraordinary by the minute," Righter
said Monday.  "We're finding much more than we ever dared to
hope."
     Finds thus far have revealed two skeletons, food remains, a
possible ball court and handicrafts.
     Preliminary examination of the skeletons indicates the man
and woman were about 4-foot, 7-inches tall, and stocky with well-
developed shoulders.
     Righter said the food remains are important because they
contain charcoal and pottery.  The charcoal can be carbon-dated
to fix a more-precise time for each layer of the settlement.
     Food remains indicate a diet of crab, whelks, reef fish,
turtle and cassava bread.
     The ball court is the first to be found on St. Thomas. 
Righter says pieces of what may be stone collars worn around the
ballplayers' hips to hit the ball in a soccer-like game, have
been found.
     Elaborately carved shell ornaments and finely crafted
pottery, similar to what is now in Venezuela, are also among the
ruins.
     Planning and Natural Resources Earth Change Inspector, Tom
Linnio first discovered signs of the village during a routine
inspection after inland property was cleared for the shopping
area.
     Righter has been operating from donations, including those
from the development owner, William Mahaffey, Virgin Islands
Telephone Corp., Gassett Motors and St. Thomas Historic Trust.
     Labor has been donated by the Virgin Islands National Guard. 
National Park archaeologists are donating their time, as are
members of the St. Thomas Historic Trust, the Explorer's Club and
the St. Thomas-St. John Environmental Association.
     Meanwhile, the construction project is on hold until explo-
ration is completed.  Mahaffey said he will display a replica of
the village in a 30-foot glass rotunda in the middle of the
completed mall.