Published
Since 1887 it has been hidden under a statue of a southern general. The anti-racism protests brought down the statue and exposed the 19th century relic.
It was opened after Christmas.
AFP
First, she was x-rayed.
AFP
Money, books, documents and ammunition were in a time capsule from 1887.
They were soaked, but it could have been worse, according to one restorer.
It took several hours to open the capsule and it was broadcast on the Internet.
A team of restorers has opened a second time capsule that was found in the base of a controversial statue of Southern General Robert E. Lee in the US state of Virginia. According to initial findings, the time capsule from 1887, which was described in media reports at the time, said the governor’s office spokesman Grant Neely on Tuesday.
The opening of the capsule in Richmond, which lasted several hours, was broadcast live on the Internet. Books, money, ammunition, documents, a newspaper and other items were found in the container. “They were more soaked than we had hoped, but not as bad as it could have been,” said restaurateur Kate Ridgway of the items found.
However, a photo of former US President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) in his coffin was not discovered – historical documents had led to the assumption that this photo could be in the time capsule.
A time capsule had already been found in the remains of the statue last week. “And that turned out to be a fun thing. They were artifacts that were placed there by the builders of the structure, and I take my hat off to them for coming up with this cool thing, ”Neely said. Then on Monday the team found the capsule they were actually looking for.
Governor Ralph Northam announced in summer 2020 that the 18-meter-high statue and its base would be removed. The decision came amid protests against racism and police violence following the death of African American George Floyd in a police operation. The bronze sculpture of Lee on his horse was finally dismantled in September this year after legal disputes. A search for the time capsule in the base, which began immediately afterwards, was initially in vain. Lee led the Confederates in the Southern Civil War against the Northern States. The southern states, under Lee’s leadership, vehemently opposed the abolition of slavery.
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(DPA / AFP / roy)