The most obvious feature of the defensive works is a large ditch, some 6.1 metres (20 feet) wide and about 1.2 metres (4 feet) deep that seems to have bordered at least the entire eastern side of the colony.

Between 1992 and 1995 a portion of the 17th-century waterfront was revealed.

The articles that follow is an attempt to identify the owners of 19 bottle-seal fragments from English glass wine bottles and to provide some insight into the practice of bottle-sealing.

Page 1 showing nine bottle-seal fragments from 17th and 18th century English glass wine bottles unearthed at the Colony of Avalon.

Of the approximate one million artifacts excavated to date from the Ferryland archaeology site, at least a third of those are represented by ceramic sherds.

Each artifact or sample removed from the burial matrix of an excavation unit is described briefly on a field tag. Exact location, depth below surface, date of excavation and excavator's name are recorded on the tag.

An article on the restoration of ceramic artifacts at the Colony of Avalon in Ferryland, NL

After the artifacts have been excavated, stabilized and conserved, documented, catalogued and numbered they are stored in the collections storage room. This is the "above ground" resting place for the objects.

Inorganic artifacts are those made from the earth's crust. These objects characteristically will not burn if ignited, are insensitive to light and humidity, are crystalline or glassy in structure, are brittle, and range from being porous to dense, and from soft to hard.

A look at Ferryland's onsite conservation lab and the steps followed in order to properly conserve artifacts.

Artifacts in this category are those made from animals or plants. Proteins and cellulose are the fundamental building blocks of organic objects, which include artifacts made from leather, wood, bone, ivory, antler, wool, silk, cotton, to mention a few.

An introduction to the archaeology conducted at the Colony of Avalon in Ferryland, NL

A look at the ways in which the Conservation Laboratory in Ferryland catalogues its artifacts

A history of the archaeological dig at the Colony of Avalon in Ferryland, NL

An overview of the archaeological digs undertaken at Ferryland, NL

Upon excavation, objects are brought to the laboratory for mechanical cleaning. Stable ceramics, glass, wood, pipe fragments, roof slates and iron are first sorted by material.

Page 5 of a sample of miscellaneous artifacts unearthed at the Colony of Avalon.

Page 4 of a sample of miscellaneous artifacts unearthed at the Colony of Avalon.

Page 1 of a sample of miscellaneous artifacts unearthed at the Colony of Avalon.

Page 6 of a sample of miscellaneous artifacts unearthed at the Colony of Avalon.