Tombstone found in Washington Square

An 18th century headstone was uncovered last Friday in Washington Square Park during Phase II of the park's redesign.

The tombstone was spotted by neighborhood resident Matt Kovary, 54, while peering through the chain link fence around the east side of the park. He saw a small crew gathered around a hole that was six feet deep, dusting and taking pictures of a headstone inside.

"It's like the citizens below wanted us to know," said Kovary, who spotted the headstone while walking on Washington Square South and Sullivan Street and posted about the sighting on Washington Square Park Blog.

Kovary told WSN he could not see the inscription, if there was any, from where he was standing.

According to New York City Parks and Recreation press officer Cristina DeLuca, engineers and archaeologists are on scene to determine the full excavation.

Information regarding their findings will be released next week, Deluca said.

This will not be the first time that human remains were unearthed in Washington Square Park, which was a burial ground for unknown and impoverished people about 200 years ago.

According to Cathryn Swan of the Washington Square Park Blog, more than 70 human bones were found during Phase I of the WSP redesign in January 2008.

CAS senior William Marshall, who knew of the park's history as a potter's field, said he was surprised that skeletal remains are still being discovered.

"All of them should be removed, including the headstone," Marshall said. "It's archaeological evidence, so it should be analyzed."

But LSP sophomore Phoebe Walker said the headstone should be incorporated into the redesign.

"It'll add character to Washington Square," she said. "Plus, it'd show that NYU hasn't taken over all of Greenwich Village. The headstone was here first. It's got dibs on the park."

Jenny Tai is a staff writer.