42 pages • 1 hour read
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
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Chapters 8-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 8 Summary
In 1659, Maryland’s colonial government granted land to Thomas Taylor, an Englishman who established a tobacco plantation north of St. Mary’s City (later named Harleigh). Archaeologist Darrin Lowery discovered a series of cobblestones on a knoll at Harleigh, suggesting the presence of a cemetery. William Kelso’s team conducted an archaeological investigation and confirmed the site, which they named Harleigh Knoll, as a cemetery containing 35 potential graves.
Excavation revealed well-preserved wooden coffins thanks to the fine, sandy soil. Among the graves, one labeled HK9 contained the remains of an adult man, but with an unusual discovery: The skull was missing, likely dislodged by the later burial of an infant in the same grave shaft. HK9’s remains showed signs of age and labor, with arthritis and a condition called DISH indicating a lifetime of strenuous physical activity. A brass button found among the remains suggested a burial date between 1726 and 1776.
Another grave, HK7, contained the remains of a young woman whose skull suggested African ancestry. HK7’s bones indicated a life of hard labor, with muscle attachment sites on the arm bones. Further analysis revealed her teeth showed few signs of decay, possibly due to the high fluoride content in the area’s water. The cause of her death remains unknown, but her bones indicated she was about 18 or 19 years old. Though she was young, her bones reflected a life filled with laborious tasks, such as hoeing tobacco, inspecting plants for pests, and removing poor-quality leaves. She might have also ground corn by hand or prepared wool for spinning—tasks that also required significant physical effort. However, the exact nature of her work remains speculative.
Carbon-13 analysis showed that both HK9 and HK7 had a corn-based diet consistent with long-term residency in Maryland. Although it is unclear whether they were enslaved people, indentured servants, or free persons, the careful burial practices indicated they were respected by their community.
Chapter 9 Summary
The study of human remains in the colonial Chesapeake area has provided extensive insight into the lives of these early settlers, including their diet, health, and social status. However, it is hard to determine their physical appearance, as few were drawn or painted in their lifetimes. Forensic artists address this gap by creating lifelike images based on skull analyses. These artists work with forensic anthropologists to make replicas of skulls using techniques like CT scans, which produce detailed digital images. These images are then used to create physical replicas.
Joana Hughes, a forensic artist, reconstructed the face of HK7, starting with a replica skull. She used markers to represent tissue thickness and built up features with oil-based clay, refining the details under the guidance of Owsley and Bruwelheide. The reconstruction was finalized by StudioEIS, where sculptors created a lasting plaster model—the first such reconstruction of an American colonist of African ancestry.
Over 50 years, archaeologists and forensic anthropologists have studied more than 300 graves from the 17th century, uncovering details about mortality, health, and cultural practices. These studies reveal how different English customs blended in colonial America, offering insights into burial rituals and the impact of diet and labor on health. For instance, the introduction of a corn-based diet increased tooth decay among colonists due to the high carbohydrate content of corn.
Many archaeologists and forensic anthropologists find that encountering the remains of historical figures adds a personal dimension to their work. This sense of connection motivates many scientists, as it offers a way to honor and understand those who lived and died long ago.
Chapters 8-9 Analysis
HK7 and HK9 are the only skeletons belonging to people of color that Walker investigates, offering just a small peek into the lives of people of African ancestry in colonial America. She does not ignore the topic of enslavement but avoids making a definite call that HK7 was an enslaved person. Given the limitations of the skeletal evidence, Walker mentions that “no one could determine whether the colonists buried on Harleigh Knoll were servants, slaves, or free people” (118). This fact reflects the diverse and stratified nature of colonial society.
In Chapter 9, Walker brings in the arts, integrating them with the scientific narrative to encourage the reader to connect emotionally with Walker’s historical subjects. The other chapters focus on telling a person’s story through their bones, but including an actual recreation of HK7 gives a recognizable human face to the story: In this sense, it is the culmination of Walker’s interest in the Daily Lives of American Colonists. Detailing the varied roles involved in the reconstruction process, from forensic anthropologists to artists and technicians, also allows Walker to showcase the range of careers within forensic science. This invites young readers to consider different career paths and specialties, showing them that there are many ways to contribute to the field and make meaningful discoveries.
The final chapter ties the stories of the colonists together by revisiting themes and findings throughout the book. For instance, Walker repeatedly addresses the health and nutrition of the colonial settlers. Early in the book, she describes the skeletal remains of a child with rickets, highlighting the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency due to the cultural practice of swaddling infants. This theme reappears in the final chapters, where she synthesizes information gathered from various burial sites to draw broader conclusions about colonial health. Walker writes that “the discovery that many Chesapeake colonial children suffered from rickets surprised Owsley” (133), tying individual cases to a larger pattern.
Just as Walker introduced the book by including her reasons for writing it, she closes the book by discussing why she and others are interested in archaeology and forensic anthropology. Instead of focusing only on her own reasons, though, she also includes direct quotes from Kari Bruwelheide and Doug Owsley. Bruwelheide reflects on the emotional connection to and respect for the past, stating, “We can shed some light on who these people were and how they lived and died” (134). Owsley describes a similar sense of purpose, emphasizing that “the information we gather from their skeletons is, in essence, their legacy” (134). The goal of their research is not just to uncover the physical evidence of past lives but to honor those lives and provide a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves. In sharing the stories of the skeletons, Walker and her colleagues strive to bridge the gap between the past and the present. Ultimately, Walker suggests, The Role of Science in Understanding Human History is to ensure that these individuals are remembered and their contributions are acknowledged.
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