Sword, Armor Found Buried Inside Remains Of James Fort

Virginian-Pilot ^ | 5-9-2007 | Diane Tennant

[blam]

Sword, armor found buried inside remains of James Fort

Archaeologists Mary Anna Richardson, left, and Luke Pecoraro carefully begin excavating a potential cache of arms and armor that so far includes a broad sword with a basket hilt and blade, armor that protects the thigh and a rapier hilt, discovered recently at Historic Jamestowne. PHOTO BY MICHAEL LAVIN / APVA PRESERVATION VIRGINIA

By DIANE TENNANT, The Virginian-Pilot
© May 9, 2007 | Last updated 1:49 PM May. 9

JAMESTOWN – A cache of armor from the early 1600s has been discovered by archaeologists excavating a trash pit inside the remains of James Fort.

Queen Elizabeth II viewed the objects during her visit Friday, observing a broadsword with a basket hilt, an iron pole, the hilt from a rapier and armor pieces that would have protected the thigh.

“It may be like the tip of an iceberg,” said William Kelso, director of archaeology for APVA Preservation Virginia, in a press release. “We’ll see as we uncover more of it in the next few days.”

The armor was partly uncovered last week, about 3 feet below what would have been ground level in the early 1600s. The pit itself is 19 feet square. Because the layers slump toward the center, archaeologists think it may have been a well that went bad, and was then used for trash.

Glass trade beads, baubles, chess pieces, iron objects and pottery shards have also been found in the pit. Indian artifacts found there include a grinding stone, a bone needle and shell beads. Animal remains include oysters, sturgeon, crab claws, fish, bird, turtle, deer and goat.

Kelso speculated that it could be the first well dug by colonist John Smith in 1608-09. Archaeologists can date it by the artifacts, which include a coin dated 1613 found near the top, and by the fact that the pit is under the foundation of a building constructed in 1617.

Furthermore, historical accounts mention that military equipment was buried in the fort in June 1610, when the colonists decided to abandon Jamestown after the “Starving Time” winter. The day after they left, they were forced to return by Lord De La Warre, whose supply fleet coming up the James River met the dispirited colonists coming down.

Archaeologists also plan to work on a site this summer that they hope contains remnants of the first church built for the colony.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[mtbopfuyn]

Wow! Cool! I wonder if great...grandpa Dodson ever saw, touched, or wore that armor.

[Sam Clements]

I see that there is a move going on to upgrade the significance of Jamestown. Compared to the legacy left behind by the Massachusetts settlers, I just don’t see the impact here.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Compared to the legacy left behind by the Massachusetts settlers, I just don’t see the impact here.

What in the world do you mean by that?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam.

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[Sam Clements]

They came for a little while and then disappeared. I’m not sure they left anything behind. Later settlements in Virginia appear to be do overs. Is there a legacy from Jamestown? Clearly the Pilgrims left behind a legacy including the written record and enduring institutions.

[SlowBoat407]

They came for a little while and then disappeared.

I believe you're thinking of Roanoke. Jamestown was actually the beginning of the permanent English presence in "Virginia", and it was from this colony that all of the others in the region grew.

Their contribution was not just significant. It was earth-shaking.

[blam]

"Their contribution was not just significant. It was earth-shaking."

That's why the Queen Of England visited it yesterday.

[SlowBoat407]

To add further detail, the Massachussetts Bay colony was part of the Plymouth Company, while the Jamestown Colony was founded by the Virginia company, both of which wanted to be the first to establish permanent colonies in the region. Their achievements were quite different from one another, and together created the nation we have now, but it was the Virginia Company that got there first.

The Virginia Company, while not finding the gold or the passage to the Western Ocean they expected, did however make a profitable crop out of tobacco, begin converting natives to Christianity, and keep the Eastern Seaboard out of Spanish hands. They nearly perished several times, but after Jamestown, England had a permanent presence on American soil. Some say that the Plymouth colony actually profited from the experiences of Jamestown.

[Dustbunny]

Neat !!!

[britemp]

It also pays to bear in mind that the original English settlers in Jamestown left England with the express purpose of settling the colony of America. The pilgrim fathers simply couldn’t get on with the other 99.99% of England and tried Holland, couldn’t get on there either and headed for America.

[jws3sticks]

The amazing this is the small ships that brought the original settlers to the New World. They look big in this picture but they seem tiny when viewing them in person.

[SlowBoat407]

The amazing this is the small ships that brought the original settlers to the New World.

Add to that the facts that they actually tried to hang John Smith in the Caribbean on various charges amounting to treason and attempted mutiny; Christopher Newport was a former pirate captain, and the settlers consisted of strays from the streets, indentured men, and "Gentlemen" who wouldn't lift a finger; and the makeup of the council who would run the colony was kept secret until they arrived, and you have the makings of a very long and drama-filled voyage.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Wasn’t the original destination for the Pilgrims the Virginia area, but were blown off course towards Cape Cod? Seems I’m remembering that bit from an “educational” movie I watched decades ago.

[Robert A Cook PE]

True: VA was the target colony, and the Mass settlement was an “accident” of landing. So the (modest success) of VA after a few years was the reason that the Pilgrims attempted the move to the states.

Williamsburg (seat of VA government) began right nearby the original Jamestown, so the original colony affected cities and settlement and government until the Revolution and beyond.

[Redleg Duke]

That’s it! It is out of control. We can’t win...we must withdraw from Virginia!

[BuffaloJack]

Thanks for the post Blam.
Jamestown is of high interest to my family.
A cousin in Tennesee actually has our family bible brought to the Jamestown Colony 400 years ago aboard the Godspeed. In the 50 or 60 blank pages in the back is a family history that was actually kept up-to-date until the late 1890s when some idiot family member decided the book was too valuable to keep writing in.
Always interested in Jamestown posts.
Jack

[Lee'sGhost]

They seem tiny because they are tiny. Anyone who has stood beside these vessels can’t help but shake their head in awe that so many people were crammed into these things.

[twigs]

Yes, they were headed for Virginia. Of course, Virginia was a much larger land area back then than it is today, but they were blown off course.