<![CDATA[A small town in Pennsylvania has been enriched even more historically, as archaeologists digging in Nazareth have found what is believed to be the oldest Moravian settlement in North America. The archaeologists had dug only a few feet into the ground, when they hit upon large chunks of limestone, where they found some artefacts mixed into the soil such as buttons, pottery shards, and a horse bell. This limestone laid the foundation of the First House in Nazareth, which was built in 1740. On this settlement now stands the Whitefield House. The First House, which stood upon the foundation just discovered by archaeologists, was razed about 150 years ago. The excavation was carried out by the Moravian Historical Society. This project is part of a $2 million, five year campaign which seeks to rebuild the old settlement and develop parts of it. Before the society could start fixing leaky roofs and renovating entrances, they looked to see what was underground. They contacted Hunter Research Inc., which after reviewing historical maps and creating underground maps of their own using radar, figured out where to start digging. The archaeologists then went on to dig up an ancient tobacco pipe, a glass medicine vial, and large chunks of the plastic wall, which were all part of the first settlement. The Moravians are one of the oldest Protestant denominations in the United States, mostly known for their emblem, which is of a lamb (the Lamb of God) carrying a flag. Long ago these people escaped religious persecution in the region of Moravia, which now forms part of the Czech Republic. The Moravians are thought to have stemmed from the Hussite movement, which was started by the Christian martyr John Hus, known for his strong opposition to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. When Hus was burned at the stake, a war broke out between his followers and the church, a war which the Hussites won. The Hussites signed a peace treaty, but fifty years later started up another heresy under a new name, as they started to follow the lead of nonconformists like Martin Luther. Protestantism spread throughout Moravia like wildfire, meaning the Catholic Church started to impose itself on the region again, to counter the heresy. The Bohemians, as they were then called, fought back, but were eventually defeated. As a consequence their population declined by more than half, so they decided to leave Europe. The Moravians came to North America as missionaries, and built the two floored First House for an English preacher named George Whitefield, who had helped found Methodism. He wanted the Moravians to help build a school for the orphans of slaves. It was during this time that Whitefield's religious convictions clashed greatly with the Moravians. Because of this, the Moravians left Nazareth to build an even bigger settlement along the Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is now one of the largest cities in Pennsylvania. Whitefield eventually ended up selling the property to the Moravians, where it served as a nursery, and war sanctuary. The site now serves as the home of the Moravian Historical Society.]]>
Archaeologists Find First Moravian Settlement in Nazareth
