Digging history at old capital

This is probably one of the things where Europeans have good reason to laugh at us. Archaeologists are digging up the first capital of Alabama, St. Stephens on the Tombigbee River in the southwest part of the state. The capital was moved about 1820 and the town was abandoned by the Civil War. In European terms, that's yesterday; I think they don't even bother digging up anything younger than Charlemagne.

Alabama is odd in that two early capitals are now ghost towns; Cahawba (on the Cahaba River, natch) was another early 19th century capital and it too is now wholly abandoned. Tuscaloosa and Huntsville were also capitals for a time, but they're still in business, as is Montgomery, which has managed to stay in charge since 1845. Though if Montgomery were abandoned, it would probably be good for everyone.