10 Mysterious And Creepy Items Discovered At Jamestown, Virginia
The Remains of a Teenage Settler With a Native American Arrowhead
Archeologists uncovered the remains of a 15-year-old boy with an arrowhead embedded in the bone of his left leg. This finding is linked to the numerous conflicts with the Powhatan people, the original inhabitants of Jamestown, before the arrival of European colonists.
Captain John Smith and Captain Gabriel Archer documented the events just two weeks after their arrival, as recorded in the Wisconsin Historical Society’s “American Journey’s Collection.”
A Catholic Reliquary
Archeologists discovered a burial site containing graves for early and prominent economists. At the time, England was a firmly protestant Christian country after years of religious wars with Spain, which was a very Catholic country and was establishing their claim in the new world.
England was compelled to establish their foothold across the Atlantic as they believed the new world would be catholic under Spain.Other Catholic items, such as rosary beads and crucifixes, were also discovered. Historians attributed them to trading with Spaniards passing through Jamestown, but the reliquary led them to reconsider religious life in Jamestown.
Double Graves
Early records from the Virginia Company show that Native people were not supposed to know of any illnesses or deaths within the fort. This led to the creation of a graveyard within Fort James. The graveyard filled up quickly due to attacks from Powhatans, diseases, and hunger that ravaged the population.
As archaeologists began excavating these burial grounds, they quickly discovered that some graves contained more than one person’s remains. No one knows for sure why the bodies were placed together, though it may have to do with saving time digging graves and conserving space within the fort.
German Brass Counterweight Balance Scale
A 17th-century lion-shaped counterweight, originating in Nuremberg, Germany, was discovered at Jamestown. The counterweight weighed just under 2 ounces and was designed to assist in proper balance scale measurements.
This suggests that trade played an important role in the Jamestown colony and provides insight into the economic aspect of life in Jamestown, and shows the interconnectedness of different cultures through trade.
Iron Shackles
Despite the arrival of enslaved Africans in North America as early as the 1500s, the arrival of the first captives to the Jamestown colony is often seen as the beginning of slavery in America, reports History. Iron shackles found at Jamestown point to the harsh realities of servitude and punishment within the colony.
These shackles were likely used to restrain individuals, possibly indentured servants or enslaved people. Their discovery highlights the darker aspects of colonial life, including the systems of labor and control that were in place.
A Trumpet Mouthpiece
Trumpets have historically played an important role in Fort societies. They were used to announce the settlers’ arrival in Native American camps. Thomas Dale, an early colonial governor, wrote a warning to Chief Powhatan to return runaway colonists and stolen items, or the colony leaders would announce the start of a conflict with drums and trumpets.
Ranker reports that the Jameson trumpet may be the earliest trumpet on American soil and may have come from Nuremberg, Germany, where 17th-century trumpets were made.
A Knights Tomb
A grave covering appearing to have belonged to a knight was unearthed at the Jamestown site. It’s still not clear who the knight would have been. Sir George Yeardley, an early colonial governor, is the most likely candidate for ownership.
After analyzing letters and records of Yeardley’s heirs, historians came across a letter from Yeardley’s step-grandson ordering a black marble tomb with Sir George Yeardley’s crest embossed on the cover. Since no crest was found, the real owner of the tomb remains a mystery.
A Cannibalized Skull in Trash Pits
During a 2012 Jamestown rediscovery archeological dig by archeologists and Smithsonian Institute Scientists, a skull and a severed leg bone were recovered. There were visible cut marks on the bones, suggesting cannibalistic activity, as per the New York Times. The remains were from a teenage female around 14 years old.
According to letters written to the Virginia Company(the corporation that established the Jamestown colony), the settlers ate any animals around them, including snakes and rats, and later resorted to digging up recently buried corpses during the starving period of the winter of 1609. This reduced the population of Jamestown from 500 to 60, as reported by Britannica.
A Child’s Shoe
A child’s shoe made of goat skin leather survived centuries buried in Jamestown pits and was discovered in 2006. As per Live Science, this shoe dates back over 2,000 years and was found in a rock salt mine near the village of Dürrnberg, close to Salzburg. The condition of the shoes suggests light wear.
In the 17th century, shoes were a mark of prestige, so they either belonged to a child of a wealthy Jamestown family or a child of lesser status whose parent came upon them.
