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The Secret in the Cellar is a webcomic based on an authentic forensic case of a 17th-century body found in 2003 in Leavy Neck, part of the Lost Towns Project in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Using graphics, photos, and online activities, the webcomic unravels a mystery of historical and scientific importance. Online sleuths can analyze artifacts and examine the skeleton for the tell-tale forensic clues that bring the deceased to life and establish the cause of death.
The comic itself is 37 pages in "anime" style drawings, presented in three equal parts for maneuverability. As the action unfolds and questions arise, there are links presented to various activities, definitions, images and articles to help the reader understand the action on the screen. The comic itself is presented as a typical web document. The activities, however, are in PDF format; please download a free PDF reader from Adobe if you do not already have one.
Ancillary Resources
Activities List
A list of each of the activities is available as a convenience for quick reference.
Text Only Version
The text-only version describes the settings, the participants and the dialog. It also links to the activity PDFs mentioned above; these PDFs have been adapted to meet basic accessibility standards.
Webcomic as Printable PDF
A stand-alone version of the comic is also available as a PDF.