In 1992, archaeologists excavated three lead coffins at the site of the Brick Chapel in St. Mary's City. In the colonial period, burial in lead coffins was a sign of great wealth. An international, interdisciplinary team of scientists continues to explore this unique find today. Careful research demonstrates that the two largest coffins held the remains of Chancellor Philip Calvert and his wife, Anne Wolseley Calvert. The identity of the baby girl found in the third coffin remains unknown.The largest of the three lead contained the remains of Philip Calvert, the Chancellor of Maryland, who died between December 21, 1682 and January 12, 1683. The coffin was buried under the floor of the Catholic Chapel in St. Mary's City. Philip Calvert was one of the most prominent Maryland leaders in the 1600s and a key person in the efforts to develop St. Mary's City. The capital cities of the Maryland and Virginia colonies served as the burial places for many important persons. The coffin of Philip Calvert and those of his wife and daughter are the earliest known examples of lead coffin burials in British North America.

Three Lead Coffins