US: Crews in Richmond find second 'time capsule' at Robert E. Lee statue site

crews in Richmond, Virginia winding up giant pedestal that once held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monday landed on what appears to be a second-time capsule that could unveil unique artefacts. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam informed in a series of tweets on Dec. 27 that mystery box is being removed by crews from site and that conservators were studying artefact. Although, it remains unclear at this time what contents of box might be. 

“y found it! This is likely time capsule everyone was looking for,” Gov. Ralph Northam said in a tweet. 

capsule was found after a months-long search. It is said to have been buried during a cornerstone-laying ceremony in 1887 and may contain dozens of donated artifacts, historical records, and Confederate memorabilia as well as some rare photos of deceased President Abraham Lincoln. Lee statue depicts US general atop a horse and was erected in Virginia on a pedestal in1890. US State was former capital of Confederacy. 

While at least four city-owned statues were taken down in 2020 after George Floyd ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests, a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee that towered over Richmond for generations h somehow survived two lawsuits. Lee was last of Civil War figures, and as his 21-foot-tall bronze figure was ultimately lowered, civil rights activists and members of Virginia Defenders for Freedom Justice & Equality called moment a victory. se Confederate statues and monuments have been a telltale of injustice faced by Black and people of colour under reigning White supremacy.

Time capsule me of 'copper' discovered this time

Whilst dismantling pedestal from statue that h stood for 130 years in its location, crews found time capsule. This time, y said it was an auntic one embedded in a granite block that may have been placed re in 1887. A similar capsule was found earlier this month that h left crews disappointed as y expected a trove of objects related to Confederacy but found insignificant objects. All y could recover from 'le' me capsule was some waterlogged book—a rust-coloured 1875 almanac, a silver coin, and an envelope with some papers. A ory spre that said le box was probably left on site by a person that was involved in monument’s construction. n search for 1887 time capsule resumed once again earlier yesterday. 

According to Devon Henry, contractor with company involved in excavation, time capsule me of copper this time was found inside a granite enclosure basically at a deep ground level. It was stranded between concrete and seated on level where re was water underground, he told Baltimore CBC local network. After crews spotted it, box was packed inside bubble wrap and transported by vehicle for furr research, he told local reporters. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam h ordered statue’s removal.

At time when a capsule was discovered, Northam said that it was an important day for history of Richmond and Virginia. His remarks came just minutes after lifting open capsule and crews frantically searching for a "picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin". It is said that as many as 37 Richmond residents, organisations, and businesses contributed about 60 objects to actual capsule.