In a Land of “Abundance”, Why did the Jamestown Colonists Starve During the Winter of 1609-1610?

Author(s): Danny Schmidt

Year: 2014

Summary

Numerous early James Fort period features backfilled shortly after the winter of 1609-1610 have shed light on the troubles the colonists faced. The faunal assemblages from these features coupled with the historic record reveal what food resources were and weren’t available. Recent scientific studies focusing on the terrestrial and marine environment in and around Jamestown have further advanced our knowledge of the starving time. This presentation aims to explain how and why the colonists starved at Jamestown with a rich marine estuary more or less in their backyard and with abundant Virginia game in the surrounding hinterlands.

Cite this Record

In a Land of “Abundance”, Why did the Jamestown Colonists Starve During the Winter of 1609-1610?. Danny Schmidt. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. 2014 ( tDAR id: 437172)

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-62,08