by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is a shark vertebra recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. It was scanned on September 9, 2015 at the Jamestown Rediscovery laboratory. It was scanned and later printed within two weeks of its discovery.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is a Jack of Plates plate recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. Numerous of these plates would have been sewn to a cloth or leather garment to create armor.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is a 17th century oyster shell recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. Oysters were substantially larger prior to historic over exploitation.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Dr. Elizabeth Moore of the Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) recently took the time to speak with my Archaeological Methods and Research Design course about zooarchaeology and brought along a number of items from her extensive reference collection at the VMNH. We took the opportunity to 3D scan this skull of a female cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), whose bones retain the orange color of the bird’s beak.
Dr. Moore talking to VCU students.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is a goat horn recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. According to Merry Outlaw, Curator of Archaeology for Jamestown Rediscovery, the butchered horn is from the post structure in the palisade extension to the original James Fort. It came from a large cellar (possible well) and dates prior to 1624. More information on the excavation of this feature can be found here.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Note: The director was occupied with a gas leak in his home this past week, which is why this is a tad delayed.
Today’s animation is a butchered dog humerus recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. Cut marks on the dog humerus indicate an attempt to remove flesh for consumption. The butchered mandible dates to the “starving time” dated to the winter of 1609-1610. A spectacular forensic archaeological discovery announced early last year by Jamestown Rediscovery confirmed historic documents that indicate the residents of James Fort also turned toward cannibalism. For more on the individual identified as “Jane” whose body exhibits evidence of cannibalism, you can read Jane’s Story here.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory
Today’s animation is whimsical cartoon based on Martha, the last passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) This was drawn by Virginia Commonwealth University alumnus (and now University of West Florida graduate student) Mariana Zechini when she acted as the VCL’s digital zooarchaeologist. Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, died 100 years ago on September 1, 2014. For more on our efforts to create a digital zooarchaeological collection of passenger pigeon elements, and those of other extinct and non-extinct animals, visit the Virtual Curation Laboratory here. A Beta version of a passenger pigeon APP can be found here.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is a butchered horse ulna recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. It was scanned on September 5, 2014, at the Jamestown Rediscovery laboratory. Cut marks on the ulna indicate an attempt to remove flesh for consumption and the bone also exhibits evidence of burning. The butchered bone dates to the “starving time” during the winter of 1609-1610.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is an early 17th century smoking pipe recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery, dating to ca. 1670.
by Bernard K. Means, Director of the Virtual Curation Laboratory (VCL)
Today’s animation is an early 17th century smoking pipe recovered archaeologically by Jamestown Rediscovery. It was found in the same cellar as the remains of a young woman known as “Jane.” For more on the individual identified as “Jane” whose body exhibits evidence of cannibalism, you can read Jane’s Story here.
Virtual Curation Museum 