In 1607, 104 English men arrived in North America to start what would be the first permanent
English settlement in the New World.
Jamestown, Virginia, was chosen as the location for the settlement as it was believed to have
the ideal environment for the arduous undertaking.
The settlement was funded by the Virginia Company, who also chose the council members
who would lead the settlement.
As might be expected, settling in a new land was by no means an easy task.
The first 20 years the settlers struggled a great deal, even going through what was
called the "Starving Time".
The harsh winter weather, food shortages, and conflict with local Native American tribes
left the small population of 500 dwindling down to 60.
Nevertheless, Jamestown remained the center of activity until 1698 when the statehouse
burned down and the seat of government was transferred to Williamsburg.
A few settlers initially chose to remain, but by the mid-18th century, the Jamestown
settlement was no more.
In 1994, the Jamestown Rediscovery project was established in order to uncover and study
the artifacts left by settlers in the area.
Over the years, more than 3 million artifacts have been excavated from the site, and they
tell stories of what life was like in the first settlement in the New World.
In a 2012 dig in Jamestown, archeologists found the remains of a 14-year-old English
girl who had met a fate that was, to say the least, unsettling.
The bones were found in a cellar together with other artifacts that date back to some
of the earliest years of the settlement.
What was noteworthy about the discovery aside from the age of the remains was that the young
girl's skull had been smashed in two.
Douglas Owsley, a forensic anthropologist who examined the bones, said that there was
clear evidence of several strikes to the skull.
One of the blows was even strong enough to split the skull in two, and Owsley explained
to the Smithsonian:
"The chops to the forehead are very tentative, very incomplete.
Then, the body was turned over, and there were four strikes to the back of the head."
It is unknown whether the girl, whom archeologists call "Jane," died of natural causes or whether
her death was intentional.
It was evident, however, that the girl was dismembered by her fellow settlers — settlers
who had every intention of eating her.
In a press conference, the discovery was called the first real evidence of the cannibalism
that happened in Jamestown, most likely during the Starving Time when food was scarce and
settlers were desperate to survive any way they could.
Researchers also found cuts on the girl's forehead, jaw, and shin bones.
Owsley thinks that the girl was not killed deliberately, but may have died naturally.
Regarding cannibalism, he said:
"It's just that they were so desperate, and so hard-pressed, that out of necessity this
is what they resorted to."
Random teeth are always creepy, and surprisingly several teeth with cavities were also discovered
at James Fort in Jamestown.
The teeth seem to have fallen out by themselves as there were no markings on the teeth that
would prove intentional extraction.
Upon studying the teeth, researchers concluded that the person to whom the teeth belonged
had suffered from advanced periodontal disease.
Periodontitis is a disease of the gums that is commonly the result of poor oral hygiene
and is still commonplace today.
The infection may cause the gums to bleed and swell, resulting in tooth loss.
It's most likely what happened with the teeth that were found in Jamestown.
When the first settlers arrived in Jamestown in 1607, there were two surgeons and a barber
within the group.
The surgeons were most likely the ones who took care of the settlers' teeth, as well
as their overall health, but barbers were also given surgical responsibilities because
of their know-how in using razors.
Hate going to the dentist today?
Imagine what it was like when settlers used pumice, herbs, gunpowder, or borax to whiten
their teeth.
Those ingredients were caustic and damaged the enamel, leading to tooth decay and teeth
falling out.
"I've been saving all month for this.
I think I need a root canal.
I'm sure I need a long, slow, root canal."
In July 2006, the Jamestown Rediscovery archeology team made an exciting discovery when they
recovered artifacts from the bottom of a 17th-century well.
Among the items they found was a child's leather shoe that dates back to 1617.
When settlers arrived in Jamestown in 1607, there were a few tradesmen who came along.
While there's no confirmation a shoemaker was one of them, someone practicing the profession
was most likely there as early as 1609.
The child's shoe was made of goat skin, and was done in a style popular in the 17th century.
The shoe was found to be a size 1 and was only slightly worn most likely because its
owner hasn't learned how to walk yet.
The leather shoe is a rare find as not many artifacts were discovered related to children
in Jamestown.
One of the most exciting discoveries found in Jamestown were the remains of more than
two dozen beetle species that originated from Europe.
One of the species, the saw-toothed grain beetle, most likely infested grains and food
supplies when ships traveled from Europe to Virginia.
Researchers confirm that the insect remains date back hundreds of years, and even John
Smith wrote about the pests saying that the storage, quote, "contained as many wormes
as grains."
In 1608, he wrote about the worm infestation in the colony's food supply, but because food
was scarce, settlers had no choice but to eat them.
He described a dire situation, writing:
"Al the provision of the store [...] was so rotten with [...] wormes, as the hogs would
scarsely eat it, yet it was the souldiers diet."
The discovery of insect species also provided researchers a clearer picture of Jamestown's
environment in the early 1600s.
Other insects found included bed bugs, as well as the Trox scaber beetle that thrived
on the food supplies and on the trip from England to Virginia.
"Well, this is our first night on American soil, and we've already discovered a river.
/slap/ And mosquitoes."
In the 16th and 17th centuries, combs were unlike the ones used today.
They were more extravagant and usually made of bone or ivory with intricate carvings.
However, they weren't merely used for fixing the hair.
Combs also had a hygienic purpose and were used for removing lice from hair or beards.
In Jamestown, more than 40 combs have been discovered during archeological digs.
Although the combs were made of bone, they weren't fancy at all.
Most of the combs found were double-sided, with one side having smaller spaces between
the teeth to comb away lice, and the other having wider spaces for grooming.
Insect removal was, however, of the utmost importance.
"We shall build our town here!"
"Splendid!"
"OY!"
"Mosquito."
It's an insight into the overall hygiene at the time of the first settlers, and needless
to say, it wasn't great.
Nits, fleas, and lice were commonplace, making combs less about presentation and more about
pest removal.
Yikes.
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