Jamestown Sister Settlement Discovered

The site may have been worked before, but archaeological remains in coastal Virginia are now being identified as Henrytowne, a contemporary with Jamestown. I of course am intrigued by the similarities to my own work at Ciudad Vieja, the ruins of the second Spanish settlement in what is now El Salvador. In fact the things so far discovered (an iron forge, pottery production, possibly a store) are some of the highlights of what we've found at Ciudad Vieja.

EDIT: The interpretation of the site is being questioned, in particular the location of the settlement in documents (possibly near Richmond?) and the relationship to the archaeological remains.

here

and here


In related news, the first iron works of the north American English colonies has been found at Falling Creek, Virginia. I'd note, of course, that the Spaniards had occupied North America for decades before 1619. Anyway, these are part of the Virginia colony and also contemporary with early Jamestown. And recent discoveries show 18th-century Yorktown (near in space if not time, but still part of the colonial heritage of the area) to be more complex than previously thought.

Expect more news of Jamestown this year. Virginia and other interested parties are promoting the site during its 400th anniversary. This article from US News and World Report gives an overview of the topic and profiles Dr. William Kelso, the force behind the recent breakthroughs at Jamestown. And this article discusses the various historical sites in the region, noting the anniversary.