Sabrina Wang served as summer intern at the Mütter Research Institute’s Arch Street Project in Philadelphia. Photo by Kim Eberle-Wang
In late 2016, a construction crew at the site of the former First Baptist Church of Philadelphia discovered human remains while digging a foundation. The bodies had been interred in the church cemetery between 1707 and 1858. By October 2017, more than 450 individuals had been recovered.
Using simple tools such as wooden skewers and toothbrushes, Sabrina Wang and Haotian (Bill) Cao carefully removed dirt and debris from the bones. The students also worked with a local professor who was studying the material culture found with the remains to determine the wealth, social status, and health of the individuals.
The students had the opportunity to join the team of scientists and volunteers through Anna Dhody, a 1993 alumna of their school, who is director of the institute and curator of the Mütter Museum.
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