Clothing a Colony : Lead Seals from Early Jamestown (1607-1630)

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.

Archaeological deposits from Early James Fort have yielded an impressive collection of over three hundred lead seals of varied origin. These occasionally enigmatic artifacts provide an exceptional opportunity to expand our understanding of textile use at the site, filling an important lacuna in documentary coverage of the early colony. They may also enable the reconstruction of pathways by which members of the Virginia Company of London endeavored to supply a struggling colony in a time of political and economic turbulence. This communication will serve to introduce the lead seal reference collection, highlight some of the information provided by selected seals, and showcase the unique ability of these artifacts to recall long forgotten global connections.

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