Oldest U.S. tombstone traced to European knight's origins
According to recent research published in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology, the oldest known tombstone in the United States belonged to an English knight and likely originated from Belgium. The tombstone was erected in 1627 in Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America.
Archaeologists knew that the tombstone belonged to a knight, but the exact origin of the black limestone from which the tombstone was made remained unknown.
Scientists analyzed the decorations and inlays of the tombstone to determine its origin. It contained grooves that likely held brass inserts in the shape of a shield, an elaborate scroll, and an armoured knight. Historical records indicate that in the 17th century, two knights died in Jamestown: Sir Thomas West in 1618 and Sir George Yeardley.
Sir Yeardley's stepson's cousin ordered a similar tombstone for himself in the 1680s, leading researchers to believe that the tombstone from 1627 belonged to Sir George Yeardley. He was born in Southwark, England, in 1588 and arrived in Jamestown in 1610 after surviving a shipwreck near Bermuda. In 1617, he was knighted by King James I. He returned to Jamestown in 1621, where he died in 1627.
Analysis of tombstone fragments revealed the presence of microscopic fossils that do not occur together in North America. However, these fossils do occur together in present-day Belgium and Ireland, and based on this, the researchers narrowed down the origin of the tombstone to Belgium, which was then a major source of this type of limestone.
A knight died in the United States. His tombstone came from Europe
As researchers concluded, the knight’s tombstone must have been imported from Europe. Historical evidence suggests that it originated from Belgium, from where it was transported to London, and from there to Jamestown.
They suggested that the stone was quarried and cut in Belgium, transported via the Meuse River to London where it was carved and inlaid, and then sent to Jamestown.
These findings demonstrate the vast trade networks connecting Europe to Jamestown during the colonial period. Black limestones were then "the most desirable and expensive" in Europe, as the study indicates.
The colonists in Virginia who previously resided in London were successful and sought to replicate the latest English fashions in the colonies, scientists added.
These results show how much effort some colonists went to memorialize themselves even during the most challenging times in the history of the early American colonies.
