Have We Found the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island?

National Geographic ^ | 06 Dec 2013 | Tanya Basu

[Theoria]

Remote-sensing techniques have unearthed clues to the fate of settlers who mysteriously disappeared.

It's a mystery that has intrigued Americans for centuries: What happened to the lost colonists of North Carolina's Roanoke Island? (See "America's Lost Colony.")

The settlers, who arrived in 1587, disappeared in 1590, leaving behind only two clues: the words "Croatoan" carved into a fort's gatepost and "Cro" etched into a tree.

Theories about the disappearance have ranged from an annihilating disease to a violent rampage by local Native American tribes. Previous digs have turned up some information and artifacts from the original colonists but very little about what happened to them.

Until now.

Thanks to technological advances and a cover-up on a map, researchers are getting closer to finding out what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke Island.

What Do We Know?

The lost colonists were the third group of English arrivals on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island, settling near the modern-day town of Manteo.

The first group to arrive, in 1584, came to explore and map the land for future groups. A second group, which arrived in 1585, was charged with a military and scientific mission. But this second group's trip was far from peaceful.

"That's where tensions begin [with the local Native American tribes]," said Clay Swindell of the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, a member of the archaeology team investigating the colony. He says that this second group was driven out in 1586 by local tribes angry that the colonists were taking up good land and resources.

[married21]

My niece by marriage is a Lumbee. At the wedding, her side of the family ranged in shade from light to dark, with varied hair as well. Her mother spoke in the slowest drawl I have ever heard.

[shibumi]

"Truth be known, the only thing that has intrigued me is that refrigerator light that always seems to be on when I open the door......"

Ancient Astronaut theorists agree that there is a little man who lives in the fridge. His job is to turn the light on and off.

Like Santa, he sees you when you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake.

When he knows that you're sleeping, he sneaks out of the fridge and goes to the laundry room to steal socks. He's so small that he uses the socks to keep warm while he's in the fridge. (It gets *cold* in there!)

He originally comes from Alpha Centauri and he looks just like Giorgio Tsoukalos,but really, really tiny -

[Fresh Wind]

So, those must be your socks which mysteriously teleport into my dryer.

[Bigg Red]

Thanks for the ping. Fascinating stuff.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I had to join the Nat Geo Society and suffer through their ads to read this article. What do I learn for my trouble? “We’ll have to go dig some holes!” This article is conjecture and scam.

[madison10]

Mine have their own bag they get tossed in when their mate goes wandering off. Sort of like divorced socks h3ll.

[CatherineofAragon]

THAT IS IT! You’ve solved it!

[Constitution Day]

Ping!

[CatherineofAragon]

Never watched....gotta check it out now.

Love the hair...very “Johnny the Human Torch.”

[CatherineofAragon]

The little #!@#$! belongs to me if I come across him, and no alien in the universe will save him.

[shibumi]

You really only have to watch one or two episodes, they tend to be much the same. You will hear the following line:

"As Ancient Astronaut Theorists believe..."

repeated over and over.

You come away with the impression that there is a university somewhere that is giving out degrees in "Ancient Astronaut Theory." (Although that wouldn't be inherently more absurd than some of he degrees that are being given out these days.)

But to see Giorgio try to give his spiel with a straight face is hilarious. I think the absurd hairdo is a way of making the absurd conclusions seem reasonable by comparison.

Oooh! Oooh! That little man form the fridge! He just ran toward the laundry room! This is my chance to catch him!

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

Gosh I think mine must be the same type dryer as yours. Dang.

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

LOL

[Hoffer Rand]

All they had to do was watch Sleepy Hollow. They found it about 3 weeks ago.

[Hoffer Rand]

...and those darn socks which disappear from my dryer.

When my daughter was young, I mentioned the dryer "stealing" socks, and she asked how did I know it was the dryer? Was I sure all the socks were there when I switched clothes from the washer to the dryer. Maybe everyone had always blamed the dryer, when the washer was the real culprit. Pretty decent logic for a 4 year old.

[Salamander]

It is simultaneously hysterical and infuriating.

*Everything* that ever was is “Ancient aliens”.

For example, God’s manna for the Israelites was really...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna_Machine

Mayans?

Aliens.

Viking gods?

Aliens.

Einstein?

Alien.

Ark of the covenant?

Aliens done it.

Hitler?

Aliens helped him.

I’m never sure if they’re really serious or not.

:)

[Redcitizen]

Check this website out. It has books full of answers to those types of questions. The “ Imponderables” book may be found in your local library.

http://www.imponderables.com/index.php

[Redcitizen]

You’ll hear phrases on that show that say “perhaps”, “could it be?” , “If so, then...” “therefore”.

Using those two phrases, the producers go on to construct out of the this world scenarios.

I watch the show for laughs. :)

[CatherineofAragon]

Nuclear reactor in the Ark of the Covenant which produced manna, and was taken out to be cleaned on the seventh day. ROTFL!

Yep, this show is gonna be a hoot.

[CatherineofAragon]

I wonder where these Ancient Astronaut theorists hang out. I think I might have seen a couple of them at the local Barnes & Noble.

"Oooh! Oooh! That little man form the fridge! He just ran toward the laundry room! This is my chance to catch him"

Get that sucker!!