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17th-century home and silver spoon from 'affluent household' found in Colonial Williamsburg

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Archaeologists unexpectedly unearthed the remnants of a 17th-century home's foundation while doing excavation work in Virginia. 

The site, which is located on the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg, was one of the first settlements of the original colonists who came to the New World from Europe, according to a statement from Colonial Williamsburg.

Researchers estimate that the home was built as early as 1660, making it the oldest known Colonial structure in the region.

"This is wild for us to have found something like this," Jack Gary, executive director of archaeology at Colonial Williamsburg, said in a video announcing the discovery.

In addition to the home's foundation and cellar, archaeologists unearthed numerous artifacts and building materials from when the house was still standing.

Related: Revolutionary War barracks burned by the British discovered in Colonial Williamsburg

"A lot of the materials are what an affluent household would have had," Gary said. "We're finding things like plaster from the walls, leaded casement windows and high-end ceramics. And we just found the handle of a silver teaspoon, which is just wild."

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