My grandparents live in Williamsburg, VA and often when I visit them I go to the Jamestown archeological dig as well as see new discoveries that have made in Colonial Williamsburg. The careful work of the archeologists further emphasizes for me how systematic their work, all of anthropology, and truly all of science must be. All those who are involved with anthropology must carefully follow the scientific method to ensure they do not miss anything or fall victim to dogma, or an unquestionable higher belief.
The focus of anthropology most used at the Jamestown site is archeology, the study of a human culture through the recovery and analysis of its material remains. The Jamestown museum traces the history of America's first colony and mentions many of the foundations of evolution we've covered in class. The early colonists were very wary of overcrowding their settlement, so they worked hard to prevent drastic overpopulation. Those colonists who did stay in the new world also had to fight for resources such as food, tools, and shelter.
The arrival of the English settlers occurred in 1607, right in the middle of the Scientific Revolution. No doubt these explorers used many of the new technologies being produced at that time to aid their mission. One such technology was an improved ship design, able to carry more men faster across the Atlantic.
On several of my visits to Jamestown, I have been able to observe archeology in action and the finding of artifacts (portable objects), features (non-portable objects), and ecofacts (organic remains usually used for dating a site). The Jamestown Museum also has a wonderful display on stratigraphy, showing a model of how deep certain objects were found and how layers of earth build up on top of others to create a visible timescale. I have long been fascinated by the work being done at Jamestown, and now I will have some extra background information to take on my next visit that will help me understand what I am seeing.
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