A recent graduate is participating in an excavation project on Smith’s Island for a fifth time.

Ewan Shannon thought he would be “shovelling dirt for weeks” when he first took part in the Smith’s Island Archaeology Project in 2017.

However, Mr Shannon, who recently earned a Master of Arts in anthropology from the New School for Social Research in New York, said the experience on the 60-acre island was a “really awesome learning curve”.

He added: “I did not realise how rich of a history there was here, so I kept coming back because we are looking at some of the earliest pieces of that and that is very exciting to be a part of furthering our understanding of such a unique place.”

The Smith’s Island Archaeology Project, which explores Bermuda’s history through excavation, has been continuing since 2010.

Mr Shannon and more than 20 other students and researchers, led by archaeologist and historian Michael Jarvis, excavated almost 200 square metres of land on the island in St George’s Harbour within the past six weeks.

Bermuda’s first permanent settlers, who arrived on the Plough in 1612, built an early settlement on Smith’s Island before moving to St George’s.

An excavation revealed several post holes – round features cut into the bedrock used in early building – near Small Pox Bay inlet.

Dr Jarvis, who works at the University of Rochester in New York, believes these holes, which were first uncovered with the help of ground-penetrating radar in 2022, are evidence of Bermuda’s first capital, Moore’s town.

He explained: “We had probably six to seven different buildings in this area and parts of a whole house.

“Once we started digging out the buildings and the size of them, we can ask which was the Governor’s house or the church.

“[The settlers] built the town like they were going to be here for ever, and then they changed their mind.”

Excavation is only done on 20 acres of land that is owned by the Bermuda Government, which Dr Jarvis said allowed the team to “come back each summer and slowly and carefully study the past”.

He added: “We can ask very specific questions and get everybody’s past, rather than rush through what can quickly be recovered.”

Callahj Simons, an S2 student at The Berkeley Institute, dug and sifted sand with the team yesterday.

The 15-year-old, who wants to be a corporate lawyer, said: “It is truly amazing how you uncover the layers and tiers of history.

“It probes deeper into our heritage and you will learn a lot; I would definitely do it again.”

Mr Shannon said this project gave archaeology students a feel for the field.

He explained: “If somebody is considering archaeology as a programme of study or a professional track, you cannot go into it blind, you need a trial period and need to know the ins and outs, because hearing and learning about it [in a classroom] cannot encapsulate the reality of it.”