Muhammed Ali Week 8: Cannibalism in Jamestown
Cannibalism in Jamestown
Cannibalism has been a terrifying part of humanity for thousands of years. America itself has a long history of cannibalism, dating back to when the first settlers established Jamestown.
When the Europeans initially arrived, rumors spread that suggested Native Americans committed violent acts of cannibalism not only to their enemies, but within their own tribes as well. It’s likely that these claims were fabricated in order to create distrust amongst Europeans aimed at the Native peoples, making it more justifiable to fight them and claim their land.
While the accounts of Native American cannibalism cannot be confirmed, it is widely believed that the residents of Jamestown themselves—the ones who spread rumors in the first place—participated in the practice of cannibalism. As food was running low and people were getting hungry, residents started eating their animals (horses, etc.). After their supply of animals ran out, they moved to hunting snakes and rodents. After that became too difficult, original Jamestown settler George Percy writes that they were forced to “digge upp deade corpses outt of graves and to eate them.”
Recent findings confirm Percy’s claims. A deceased female named “Jane” by researchers who dates back to the starving period in the Jamestown colony was discovered in 2012 during a Jamestown excavation. Researchers at the Smithsonian found “a pretty brutal and thorough stripping of flesh from the bone, indicated by indentations and scrapes in specific places” on Jane’s now 400-year-old body, indicating that the “settlers…resorted to cannibalism.” Four cuts across her head suggest that the cannibals who ate her were trying to get access to the brain. Non-human brains were common in dishes at the time, so it’s likely they did eat human brains during the starving times as well.
There are many more accounts of cannibalism in the Jamestown colony.. Cannibalism was a major part in the survival of the few Jamestown colonists that made it out alive. It’s an aspect of the colony that doesn’t get discussed much, but is an interesting story nonetheless.
Hi Muhammed! Your topic was interesting and unexpected; I didn’t know that there were cannibals among the settlers that came to America. I find it ironic that the rumors of Native Americans committing acts of cannibalism to create distrust among Europeans and Native people may have been fabricated while the residents of Jamestown actually ate each other. It feels odd that they would treat Native Americans differently when they were doing that themselves. Additionally, this information makes me wonder if the settlers would have resorted to eating others back in Europe as well when food was scarce. Was this a common practice or was this only because they had moved to a new environment? The gruesome cuts on her head indicating an attempt to reach her brain is also quite chilling and fits right in with horror films.
ReplyDeleteHi Muhammed! I think the topic of your blog is really intriguing. The content and evidence is presented in a good structure, beginning with historical insights and evidence, and moving on to explore the deeper and darker aspects of the Jamestown settlement. It is ironic how those who spread the rumors about cannibalism were the ones who were participating in the act themselves. The topic sentence efficiently sets up the rest of your blog, and captured my attention immediately. The historical accounts and findings are strong and the blend of recent discoveries supports the claim made in your blog. Your blog is structured well and has a nice flow from the rumors and insights of Native American cannibalism to the realities faced by the Jamestown residents. I found the discovery of Jane and her scattered remains to be a chilling story. The use of quotes and specific details helps build up credibility. Overall, your blog was extremely informative and conveyed the historical significance of cannibalism, especially in early American settlements. Good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Muhammed! The title of the blog really caught my attention, and the content inside was well structure. You synthesized the evidence and explanation, so it was easy to read and comprehend while maintaing great detail. I find it funny how those who committed the act also participated in the cannibalism. Though it is unfortunate, I found the story of Jane's remains intriguing. The inclusion of insights from the Native Americans is a good touch as it provides another perspective. The use of integrated quotes is good for the explanation, and the blog was detailed and informative. You blog was well written and showed the rumors of the Jamestown cannibalism well.
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