Werowocomoco: Competing Narratives at the Center of Tsenocomacah

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Northeast Region National Park Service Archeological Landscapes and the Stories They Tell" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The dominant narrative of Werowocomoco connects with the nationally significant story of Powhatan Chief Wahunsenacawh, his daughter Matoaca (Pocahontas), and Englishman Captain John Smith in 1607. It highlights an important moment in the connection and clash of cultures during a formative period in American history. It also obscures, for many, the equally significant stories of others living within the village, their predecessors, and even the European families who settled there after the Powhatans moved their political leadership to Orapax in 1609. Excavations by the Werowocomoco Research Group, in collaboration with our Virginia Indian tribal partners, uncovered archaeological evidence that can inform many histories of this property. Now that the property is owned by the National Park Service, the challenge ahead will be how best to balance the dominant, well-known narratives with the valued stories of other periods that also have much to teach.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Northeast Region National Park Service Archeological Landscapes and the Stories They Tell

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1001