Mare Necessities? Jamestown’s Equestrian Artifacts as a Study in Optimistic Over-Packing

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Opening the Vault: What Collections Can Say About Jamestown’s Global Trade Network", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Perhaps following the example of the Spanish who imported horses in the 16th century, the Virginia Company included horses as essential to pack for their colonization venture. However, the primary benefit of carrying horses across the Atlantic before 1609 turned out to be the meat they offered during the “Starving Time.” This paper discusses how the initial exportation of horse tack, saddles, and spurs to Virginia points to optimistic expectations. After the horses were eaten, replacements were not a priority, but the exportation of spurs continued. Spurs were accessories of significant signaling power in England. Their abundance at James Fort might reflect an empty enticement to potential settlers or willful misrepresentation of what they should expect— namely, that they might be needed for riding, military use, or fashionability. When one’s travel agency offers a free swimsuit for booking a resort, one might not question whether the destination has a pool.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023   •
• Opening the Vault: What Collections Can Say About Jamestown’s Global Trade Network

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow