Old Ship Found at Ground Zero

Ground Zero apparently doubles as an archaeological dig: Diggers at the World Trade Center site found, buried deep in the dirt, the 33-foot hull of an 18th-century ship. Archaeologists think the ship was buried with other debris to fill in and extend lower Manhattan into the Hudson River over 100 years ago. One archaeologist at the site told the Associated Press that the ship will hopefully be removed from the ground by the end of the day. But it's unclear how much of the vessel will remain salvageable. Currently being cleared by hand, the team aims to save at least several timbers. Exposure to air makes the delicate wood deteriorate, though, so the work to analyze the boat must be done quickly. "I kept thinking of how closely it came to being destroyed," one archaeologist said.