Surprising: America's oldest tombstone came from Belgium
Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607, holds the distinction of being the first permanent English settlement in America. Recent archaeological research conducted by Prof. Markus M. Key and Rebecca K. Rossi has shed new light on the origins of a significant artifact: the black "marble" knight's tombstone from 1627.
"For over a decade, I have focused on determining the provenance of lithic artifacts using fossils within them,” says Prof. Key. “Our investigation aimed to explore the trade network in the Chesapeake Bay during colonial times." The findings revealed that colonists were ordering black marble tombstones all the way from Belgium, reminiscent of modern online shopping habits - albeit at a much slower pace.
During the 17th century, wealthy English colonists commemorated themselves with elaborate tombstones, often crafted from black limestone, mistakenly referred to as "marble." The knight's tombstone, originally placed in the Jamestown Church, was moved in the 1640s and later rediscovered in 1907, revealing its intricate design featuring depressions for brass inlays, likely lost during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676.
According to local history, only two knights were buried in Jamestown during that era. While Sir Thomas West, the colony's first governor, died en route to America, there is no evidence linking him to the tombstone. The second, Sir George Yeardley, had a descendant request a similar tombstone in the 1680s, suggesting that the knight's tombstone was already damaged well before its 1901 rediscovery. This remarkable artifact continues to tell stories of colonial life and trade in early America.
(Michael Leahy. Source: Phys.org. Photo: Eric Thriller / Unsplash)