The Colony of Avalon had the pleasure of hosting the Strauss family. Ron Strauss and his children Gemma, Thomas and Caroline participated in the Dig Program for a week. Amongst many of the artifacts found, Gemma unearthed two beautiful 17th-century tortoise shell handles. These handles may have encased a blade or lancet. In the 1600s, similar blades were used by surgeons for bloodletting, a common practice for surgeons to rid people of fever and various other illness.