First we’ll start in DC, behind the scenes at the National Museum of Natural His…

[ad_1] First we’ll start in DC, behind the scenes at the National Museum of Natural History. Kari Bruwelheide and Doug Owsley, forensic anthropologists examine the remains of four settlers of Historic Jamestown in Virginia. “Jamestown is a story of luck, figuratively and literally. Over and over, lost and rediscovered, lost and saved,” Bruwelheide said. Story by Marilyn Johnson Recently,…

Anthropologists at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum examine the teeth of J…

[ad_1] Anthropologists at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum examine the teeth of Jamestown settlers. “I’m re-editing my field notes, checking teeth to verify which sides the cavities are on,” Doug Owsley, lead forensic anthropologist, said. He explained that the longer the settlers had been in the colonies, the more decay you could see—the difference between the European diet based on wheat…

It was surreal to see the bones of these four settlers. They were so well preser…

[ad_1] It was surreal to see the bones of these four settlers. They were so well preserved despite the harsh weather in Chesapeake Virginia. I also have a new level of respect for the people who pieced these bodies back together. There were many small bone fragments, that to me, looked like they could have been from any part of the body, yet the forensic anthropologists could tell exactly which…

Hundreds of artifacts are organized in Virginia and are kept in a vault on site….

[ad_1] Hundreds of artifacts are organized in Virginia and are kept in a vault on site. Many examples of drinking vessels and plates are discovered, but archaeologists have also found possible wooden book covers, helmets, boxes, staff handles and other items. Recently, Jamestown discoveries revealed the identities of four prominent settlers. The four were discovered in 2013 in what explorer John…

Katy Corneli, an assistant conservator at Historic Jamestown, works to clean and…

[ad_1] Katy Corneli, an assistant conservator at Historic Jamestown, works to clean and piece together a glass container found in a dug out well at the Jamestown Fort. Putting together these artifacts can take weeks or even months as fragments can be discovered at different times. Seeing the conservators work was a treat as they had true patience for these historic puzzles to advance our…

Iron crosses mark the 1607 burial grounds inside the fort at Jamestown. The grav…

[ad_1] Iron crosses mark the 1607 burial grounds inside the fort at Jamestown. The graves likely held English colonists in the first years of the settlement. I tried several different ways of photographing these crosses, one way, seen here, was to use all natural light to create mood. Recently, Jamestown discoveries revealed the identities of four prominent settlers. The four were discovered in…

The area of the fort at Jamestown was so much smaller than I imagined. I had to …

[ad_1] The area of the fort at Jamestown was so much smaller than I imagined. I had to envision what is was like for the the English settlers to arrive on this continent and to look for a strategic place to start a new life. The fort gave them the ability to see both directions along the James River to have advanced warning of any enemy Spanish ships. Recently, Jamestown discoveries revealed the…