The Werowocomoco (44GL32) Research Project: Background and 2003 Archaeological Field Season Results College of William & Mary Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Anthropology Department of Historic Resources Archaeological Research Report Series Research Report Series Number 1 Number 17 2006 The Werowocomoco (44GL32) Research Project: Background and 2003 Archaeological Field Season Results Authors Martin D. Gallivan Thane Harpole David A. Brown Danielle Moretti-Langholtz E. Randolph Turner, III Project web site http://powhatan.wm.edu/ College of William & Mary Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Anthropology Department of Historic Resources Williamsburg, Virginia Richmond, Virginia Archaeological Research Report Series Research Report Series Number 1 Number 17 2006 i ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research at Werowocomoco has received vital assistance from numerous individuals and several insti- tutions. The project would not have been possible without the continued support and encouragement of land own- ers, Bob and Lynn Ripley. Their active participation in the research has greatly strengthened our efforts, and we are most appreciative. By partnering with the Werowocomoco Research Group from the inception of the project, the Virginia Indian community has likewise played an essential role. We thank Reeva Tilley, former Chair of the Virginia Council on Indians, and the other members of the Council who met with us in November 2002 to initiate this partnership in an executive session of the Council. The members of the project’s Virginia Indian Advisory Board, in particular, have given generously of their time to meet regularly with the research team, to serve as liai- sons to the larger Virginia Indian community, and to offer thoughtful guidance to the Werowocomoco Research Group. Virginia Indian Advisory Board members include Jeff Brown (Pamunkey), Mark Custalow (Mattaponi), Kerry Canaday (Chickahominy), Lee Lockamy (Nansemond), Chief Anne Richardson (Rappahannock), Reggie Tupponce (Upper Mattaponi), and ex-officio advisors Chief Steve Adkins (Chickahominy), Chief Ken Adams (Upper Mattaponi), and Chief Emeritus Oliver Perry (Nansemond). We also thank Deanna Beacham, a member of the Werowocomoco Research Group in 2003 and 2004, for the considerable time and energy she contributed to the project. Especially critical to the research was institutional support from the College of William & Mary, the Vir- ginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR), the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH), and the Vir- ginia Council on Indians (VCI). The College's Vice President for Public Affairs, William Walker, was instrumental in organizing our May 2003 press conference which drew so much attention to the project. Provost Geoffrey Feiss, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Barbara Watkinson, and Anthropology Department Chair To- moko Hamada provided financial support critical to the success of the William & Mary 2003 Archaeological Field School. Provost Feiss, Dean Watkinson, and Professor Hamada also played important roles in our efforts to de- velop partnerships with the Virginia Indian Community. Virginia Department of Historic Resources Director Kathleen Kilpatrick ensured from the beginning that the project receive all available departmental support possible. VDHR has provided essential funding for the fieldwork, analysis, and publication of the Werowocomoco research. We are also appreciative that the VDHR and the College supported the project through their web sites and publica- tions which assisted us in presenting to the public the importance of Werowocomoco as a symbol of Virginia Indi- ans and Virginia history. Funding for our public outreach during the early phases of the project was provided by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. David Bearinger of the VFH has been particularly supportive of our efforts, taking the time to meet with the project team and to visit the site. VFH funding allowed us to engage in a series of public outreach efforts, including the creation of a web site (http://powhatan.wm.edu/). The field research reported in this volume represents the efforts of the Werowocomoco Research Group (Martin D. Gallivan, E. Randolph Turner III, Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, David A. Brown, and Thane Harpole) working in conjunction with the William & Mary 2003 Archaeological Field School. The excavation crew in- cluded Werowocomoco Research Group members David Brown and Thane Harpole, who served as teaching assis- tants alongside Daniel Sayers of the William and Mary graduate anthropology program. Jennifer Ogborne, also of the William and Mary graduate anthropology program, directed the field laboratory. Through their professional- ism and dedication, Dan and Jen have made considerable contributions to our understanding of Werowocomoco’s archaeological record. With Jen’s continued role as database manager and artifact analyst she has contributed more to the archaeological research at the site than anyone outside the Werowocomoco Research Group. The Werowocomoco field crew included students enrolled in the Archaeological Field Methods class: Justin Arocho, Brendan Burke, Edward Dunlap, James Goodwin, Nicola Harrison, Aaron Henry, Virginia Horner, Rachel Istvan, Jacqueline Langholtz, Mindy Lechman, Erin Patterson, Jennifer Props, Michael Rodgers, Sarah Tolbert, Cynthia Volbrecht, and Matthew Whalen. We are greatly appreciative of the field school student’s efforts during the 2003 summer at the Werowocomoco site. Through sometimes difficult field conditions, the students and staff succeeded in producing first-rate archaeological research. We appreciate the efforts of Brian Heinsman and Erin Patterson who produced the graphics for this report. Finally, we also thank Two Rivers Multimedia who provided video documentation of the project’s inaugural season. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................. 2 Chapter 2: Werowocomoco in the Contact Period ......................................................... 8 Chapter 3: Archaeological Survey Results..................................................................... 36 Chapter 4: Field Research Design and Excavation Results............................................ 50 Chapter 5: Conclusion.................................................................................................... 88 References ...................................................................................................................... 92 2 CHAPTER 1 _________________ INTRODUCTION Arriving at Werawocomoco, their emperour proudly nists’ intentions. Upon entering Werowocomoco, lying uppon a Bedstead a foote high upon tenne or Smith faced Powhatan, apparently the first Englishman twelve Mattes, richly hung with manie Chaynes of great to do so. Amidst a protracted series of events in De- Pearles about his necke, and covered with a great Cov- cember 1607 that included feasting, oration, and ritual, ering of rahaughcums [racoons]: At his heade sat a Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas reportedly rescued woman, at his feete another, on each side sitting uppon a Matte uppon the ground were raunged his chiefe men on Smith from imminent execution by her father. Follow- each side the fire, tenne in a ranke, and behinde them as ing this event Powhatan, also known as Wahun- many yong women, each a great Chaine of white Beades senacawh, declared that he and Smith were now over their shoulders, their heades painted in redde, and friends and Smith a subordinate chief. After Powhatan [he] with such a grave and Majesticall countenance, as freed Smith, the English visited Werowocomoco on drave me into admiration to see such state in a naked several occasions in 1608 and 1609. In 1609, Salvage, [. .] hee kindly welcomed me with good Powhatan decided to distance himself from the English wordes, and great Platters of sundrie Victuals, assuring at Jamestown, moving west onto the upper Chicka- mee his friendship, and my libertie within foure dayes . hominy River to Orapaks. I requited his discourse, seeing what pride hee had in his great and spacious Dominions, seeing that all hee knewe were under his Territories. In describing to him the territories of Europe, which was subject to our great King whose subject I was, [and] the innumerable multi- tude of his ships. hee desired me to forsake Paspa- hegh, and to live with him upon his River, a Countrie called Capahowasicke: hee promised to give me Corne, Venison, or what I wanted to feede us, Hatchets and Copper wee should make him, and none should disturbe us. This request I promised to performe (Smith 1986a:53-57). Even with its archaic spelling and unfamiliar phras- ing, Jamestown colonist John Smith’s True Relation offers a compelling sketch of his initial arrival at the Powhatan village of Werowocomoco and his introduc- tion to Powhatan, the paramount leader or Mamana- towick of the Powhatan chiefdom. Late in 1607, while exploring the Chickahominy River, Smith was cap- tured by a hunting party of Pamunkeys, Mattaponis, Paspaheghs, Chickahominies, Kiskiacks, and Youghta- nunds led by Powhatan’s brother Opechancanough. Opechancanough brought Smith before Powhatan at the chief's principal residence