THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 18, 1996 TAG: 9609170415
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 78 lines
YOU HEARD ABOUT them finding the remains of the original 1607-10 fort built by the first permanent American settlers at Jamestown, right?
People were calling the find the ``missing link'' and the ``Holy Grail'' and peoclaiming to a worldwide audience its historical significance.
Bet it was the 400-year-old skeleton that really caught your attention.
If you want to go up to see what it's all about, here are some guidelines. ILLUSTRATION: Text by Steve Harriman; color photos by Bill
Tiernan/The Virginian-Pilot
Graphic
SOURCE: Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities
MICHAEL HALL/The Virginian-Pilot
JAMESTOWN ISLAND
Jamestown Island, site of the 1607 settlement, is a part of
Colonial National Historical Park and is jointly administered by the
National Park Service and the Association for the Preservation of
Virginia Antiquities. This is where the remains of the original fort
were unearthed. The site features a museum, ongoing archaeological
digs, the Glass House (where 17th century glass-blowing exhibits
are given by costumed craftspeople) and statues of Pocahontas and
John Smith. There is a gift shop, but no food services. Admission is
$8 per car. Info: (804) 898-3400, Ext. 58.
SETTLEMENT PARK
Jamestown Settlement, administered by the state, features a
museum and re-creations of the original fort, a Powhatan Indian
village and replicas of the three ships that brought the English
settlers to establish Jamestown. Historic interpreters in authentic
costumes provide a living history lesson. Guided tours are
available. There are a gift shop and lunchroom. Admission is $9 for
adults and $4.25 for children. Info: (804) 229-1607.
Both are located at the western end of the Colonial Parkway.
THE DIG
If you want to see the skeleton in situ, as archaeologists say
(that is, right where it was found), you'd better hurry. The
Jamestown Rediscovery archaeology team and scientists from the
Smithsonian Institution want to get this guy out of the ground
pretty soon so they can begin a detail study that may determine his
identity.
They may do that at the Audrey Noel Hume Center for
Archaeological Research near the dig site, in which case visitors
might be able to observe the work. Or it may be done elsewhere.
Right now, you can actually walk right up and peer into the
grave.
THE FORT
If you want to see the remains of the original fort, better take
along your imagination.
This military-style fortification was not a massive log fort. It
was more like a tall fence.
What is left of it today are post holes once occupied by the
palisaded logs. Archaeologists call these ``features.'' Filled with
rotted debris, they might look, to the untrained eye, like dirt on
dirt - dark brown circles on wood rot on lighter brown clay.
At the dig site, archaeologists will be working as long as the
weather allows. When they are working, the site will be uncovered
and open to viewing.
THE LAB
At the Noel Hume Center, which doubles as a working laboratory,
there are on display about 50 of the most prominent of about 180,000
artifacts uncovered so far, including a 16th-century breastplate and
helmet and various other pieces of military and farming equipment.
There also is a audio-visual display which explains the latest
discoveries.
KEYWORDS: JAMESTOWN ARCHAEOLOGY EXCAVATION by CNB