Jamestown Rediscovery

Jamestown Rediscovery is an archaeological project of Preservation Virginia (formerly the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) investigating the remains of the original settlement at Jamestown established in the Virginia Colony beginning on May 14, 1607. In 1994, at the behest of Preservation Virginia, acheologist William Kelso began directing excavations at Historic Jamestowne on Jamestown Island. By 1996, the Jamestown Rediscovery team had discovered the foundations of the 1607 James Fort, long thought to have disappeared in the waters of the James River. Initially a 10-year project, given the wealth of knowledge and artifacts uncovered throughout its lifetime, it has been continued indefinitely.

In 1994, Preservation Virginia agreed to fund a 10-year archaeological project called Jamestown Rediscovery, in order to archaeologically explore their land. The original goal was to locate archaeological remains of "the first years of settlement at Jamestown, especially of the earliest fortified town; [and the] the subsequent growth and development of the town". On April 4 work was begun in the area near the church protected by the 1900 sea wall, and archaeologists quickly discovered early colonial artifacts. In 1996, they successfully located parts of the palisade of the original 1607 James Fort. The news was then made public on September 12 by the governor.

Subsequent excavations have shown that only one corner of the first triangular fort (which contained the original settlement) turned out to have been destroyed. In 2006, the first well located in a cellar on the site was excavated. In 2007, to mark the 400th anniversary, Queen Elizabeth II re-visited the site (having first been there in 1957). In 2010, archaeologists discovered the site of the second church constructed at Jamestown. In May 2013, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution, the project announced the discovery of a young English woman who had been cannibalized during the "starving time" winter of 1609-1610. In July 2015, the remains of four principals of the colony were identified by the Rediscovery/Smithsonian team. From late 2016, attention has moved to the Memorial Church.

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