Jamestown, the truth revealed

Not to be confused with Kelso's previous book, Jamestown: The Buried Truth (CH, Aug'07, 44-7023), this new volume updates all earlier truths with discoveries from recent years, expanding knowledge of the early-17th-century English colony significantly. Excavated since 1994 by the author (head archaeologist, Jamestown Recovery Project), the site has been shown to have remained remarkably intact considering subsequent activities, including erosion by the river and later massive earthmoving during the Civil War. Focusing on the earliest English occupation and the fort, the church, associated burials, and other structures, Kelso interprets the site in light of historical documents, forensic data, genealogical research, and new technologies. Particularly useful are his explanations of how specific conclusions were drawn and the evidence for (and against) them, making this a fine example of archaeological research for public consumption. Expanded excavations now provide a better window into the Jamestown experience in the larger context of English expansion into the Americas. The book itself is very attractively designed, and includes numerous color photos and illustrations. While some of the older information is redundant with previous publications, this volume does an excellent job of reinterpreting earlier data. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. --Jeffery C. Wanser, Hiram College

Archaeologist Kelso (Jamestown, the Buried Truth) has painstakingly recounted his amazing discovery of James Fort in Virginia, a site once thought long eroded into the James River. Kelso's excavations not only delineated Jamestown's walls and architectural features, but they also shined a light on burials and domestic artifacts. The text includes significant background into the history of this early 17th-century English colony, highlighting important peoples and events such as John Smith, the starving time, "mud and stud" dwellings, and the settlement's often tumultuous relations with Native Americans. Amid the historical narrative, Kelso details the excavation process he undertook at Jamestown from 1994 to 2014, which he supports with numerous photographs and computer reconstructions of the dig. Casual readers may find some portions of the excavation process too meticulous at times, preferring the book's rather fluid historical descriptions, conclusions, and reconstructions. VERDICT Readers who enjoyed James Deetz's In Small Things Forgotten or Ivor Noël Hume's A Guide to the Artifacts of Colonial America will also enjoy this information-rich volume.-Jeffrey Meyer, Mt. Pleasant P.L., IA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.