"Colonial Suit of Armor Fragment Unearthed in Maryland"
Archaeologists in Maryland discovered a flattened metal slab, identified as a tasset from a suit of armor worn by European colonists in the 17th century. The artifact was found at Historic St. Mary's City and is believed to have been discarded due to its impracticality in the New World's hot climate. The discovery is part of an ongoing archaeological project that has also unearthed 17th-century scissors, a decorative braid, and the skeleton of a teenager. The excavations have focused on a cellar used for storage and as a repository for trash by the early colonists.