A raft of new discoveries on Smith’s Island have helped archaeologists paint a clearer picture of what life was like for Bermuda’s earliest settlers.

The team led by Michael Jarvis from the University of Rochester have spent the last five weeks excavating tonnes of soil as they explore sites dating back to the early 1600s.

Dr Jarvis and his crew of professors, graduates, undergraduates and volunteers have focused their efforts on the Oven Site on the eastern part of the island, which is believed to have been home to some of the Island’s first inhabitants.

“We have exposed two parts to this house,” said Dr Jarvis. “The first part dates from around 1615 and we found two gigantic post holes that would have supported the old roof.

“A lot more English ceramics have been uncovered that backs up our belief of its origins.

“The people living in this house probably arrived in Bermuda in the first three years after the Sea Venture.

“We also found a water cistern with a plaster lining that would have been used to capture rain water off the thatched roof.

“Also what is significant is that we have not found any glass or nails, which further backs up that this humble structure had open windows and doors and was held together with wooden pegs.”

He added: “Even more significantly we have found evidence of what the earliest settlers used as infill in the walls.

“From our discoveries this year it would seem that they were using liquid mortar right from the earliest periods which provides invaluable information about how the earliest homes were built.”

The ongoing project to explore the origins of Smith’s Island has been made possible thanks largely to the Bermuda National Trust.

Over the last five weeks Dr Jarvis and his team have also carried out further excavation of two other sites on the island called the Cave Site and Small Pox Bay.

“The Cave Site remains a real mystery,” said Dr Jarvis. “We have found considerable evidence to suggest this was a site where everyone gathered on a regular basis.

“There’s evidence of eating and drinking and socialising here and ceramics that date back to the early 18th century.

“This year we found a few different coloured river pebbles that must have been imported from somewhere else, but it’s intriguing to think why they were there.

“As for Small Pox Bay it would seem this is not your typical military site just inhabited by soldiers. We discovered children’s toys and needles, buttons and hair brushes that would have belonged to women too so it would seem this area was used by families.”

The team of archaeologists will return to Smith’s Island for the last time this year today before heading back to the US and covering over the area they have excavated in the last five weeks.

They hope to return to Bermuda again next year to continue their work into one of the most untouched areas of land on the Island.

Dr Jarvis added: “The crew has been phenomenal this year, they have worked in temperatures five degrees warmer than last year and shifted tonnes of earth.

“We have also had 15 Bermudian volunteers involved in the project which has been good to see.

“We very much appreciate their efforts and the efforts of everyone especially the National Trust who have made this project possible.”