An ancient DNA (aDNA) study at the 17th-century English colony of Jamestown, Virginia, has identified two of the town’s earliest settlers, and revealed an unexpected family secret.
Founded in AD 1607, Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Excavations at the site discovered human remains in the 1608–1616 church.
As such, it was thought that they were the bodies of some of the original colonists.
“These graves were purposely buried near the altar in the Church Chancel,” says co-author of the research Dr. William Kelso, Emeritus Director of Archaeology at Jamestown Rediscovery. “This prominent location suggests the graves contained the remains of high-status individuals.”
“Therefore, this study not only supports the identification of these men, but exposes a 400-year-old case of illegitimacy within a prominent family.
“This is the first study to demonstrate that aDNA can be used to establish historical cases of illegitimacy in high-status, 17th-century families,”
