Jamestown

Today we visited the Jamestown Settlement - reconstructions on the site of the 1607 landing of the first British settlers in Virginia.

This village of modest rope and wooden huts, lined with furs, was a representation of the lives of the Powhatan tribe of Native Americans who lived in the banks of the James River in the early 17th century.  Initially they lived in harmony with the British settlers but the relationship deteriorated over time and as the conditions became harder for the new colonists.

This was a demonstration of how tree trunks were burned before being hollowed out for canoes - it being much easier to scrape away burnt wood - with oyster shells.  This canoe had been dug out but was being burned to flatten the base and shape the end.

These replica ships gave an insight into the perilous and long (4 months, typically) voyages undertaken by the early settlers.

Conditions on board, even for wealthy passengers were far from ideal.

There was also a replica of an early fortified settlement.

Complete with an agile squirrel..

Tobacco was an important crop and became one of the staples on which colonists relied to make a living.

We watched a noisy demonstration of the use of the musket with some sobering and rather shameful statistics about its impact as a weapon against the  Native American tribes in the area.

By contrast the church was a peaceful building.. note the preacher for today..

Everything that the settlers needed was to be found within the boundaries of the fort but perhaps a rather claustrophobic existence and a very hard one in the early years.