When hillside erosion at the Old North Main Cemetery in Danbury revealed a stone structure that did not appear in cemetery records, Dr. Nick Bellantoni utilized technology to conduct a non-destructive field investigation.

USDA-NRCS soil scientist Debbie Surabian used ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology to survey the location. GPR works by transmitting electromagnetic pulses into the ground and detecting reflected signals from the subsurface. When used in archaeology, GPR can note areas of high reflectivity, which can often be associated with human activity. Her survey located a ten by twelve foot "anomaly" in the soil profile.

This information prompted a minor excavation, revealing a mortared brick wall. As the first course of brick was removed, "Dr. Jabez Starr's" appeared engraved on the marble door. Smart phone technology allowed us to almost instantly determine that Dr. Jabez Starr (1755-1840) was a prominent Revolutionist, physician and tavern owner whose daughter Mariah died in 1804. As the second and third course of brick were peeled away "Family Vault, 1804" was unearthed and the pieces fell into place. Dr. Starr must have built the vault after the death of his daughter, Mariah, in 1804!

But why was the vault bricked up and buried? Were any remains removed and the vault abandoned, or did the vault still contain the remains of the Starr family and how could we answer these questions?

  Enter Dr. Ronald Beckett, Professor Emeritus from Quinnipiac University, and one half of the Mummy Road Show cast. Dr. Beckett generously agreed to utilize endoscopic technology to explore the Starr Family Vault. The endoscope is a small lens connected by a flexible fiber optic cable to a handheld monitor. It was originally designed to examine the interior of the human body and archaeologists have employed the technology to examine mummies ever since. The endoscope can also be used to examine voids with limited access points, the perfect tool for the Starr vault. A hammer drill was used to create a one inch diameter hole in the vault ceiling and the endoscope was inserted but the camera's single LED light was insufficient to light such a large open space. Now, I must admit I was a bit awed at meeting Dr. Beckett as he and Professor Jerry Conlogue's show was one of the best science shows on television but what transpired next was the best of the Mummy Road Show and MacGyver combined! A quick trip to the hardware store and Dr. Beckett was back with a cheap extension cord, incandescent chandelier bulb, lamp fixture and a roll of electrical tape. Five minutes later we had a jury rigged, indirect lighting source capable of fitting through the one inch hole in the vault's roof and providing sufficient illumination to view and record images of the vault's interior.

One difficulty with interpreting the images was the narrow field of vision of the endoscope. This made it difficult to fully analyze the images from the interior of the vault. At this point Dr. Bellantoni turned to Collin Harty, the exhibit and communication designer for the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, who was able to use graphic design software to overlay the endoscope images into a single overview of the vault. With this composite image, Drs. Beckett and Bellantoni confirmed their initial assessment. The Starr family vault contained the remains of four to six decomposed coffins.

It seems likely that Doctor Jabez Starr constructed the vault after the death of his daughter, Mariah, in 1804. As of this date, graves for his wife and two sons have not been located, indicating they may be interred in the vault along with Dr. Starr and Mariah. The reason the vault was sealed and then buried is not readily apparent. Perhaps vandalism or a lack of funds for maintenance and upkeep drove the decision that sealed and buried the vault. What is clear is the Starr Family Vault and its occupants were lost for over 100 years and were found through the use of technology in the field.