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60-621: In the early 18th century, the tribe was led by their chief Ashuaquid and was part of the Powhatan Confederacy . Their main village was located on the James River , the location of which is now the site of Henrico, Virginia . In 1607 the tribe came into contact with Christopher Newport and John Smith , who were exploring the area with a small group of men associated with the Virginia Company of London . The group

120-674: A few days later, they were surprised to find the house unfinished and the entire town abandoned, for which they blamed the Germans. More likely, Powhatan had decided to move to an area less accessible to the troublesome colonists. Initially, Powhatan made Orapakes his new headquarters; it was located in a swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River (near the modern-day interchange of Interstate 64 and Interstate 295 ). Subsequently, between 1611 and 1614, he moved further north to Matchut , in present-day King William County on

180-483: A general area. Radiocarbon dating of riverfront middens and inland ditch features at the site places the first settlement of Werowocomoco at around 1270 CE. Archeobotanical data indicates a decline in deciduous wood and nutshell from the Middle Woodland period through contact. This corresponds with the establishment of a large settlement, and implies clearing of forest at Werowocomoco as the village grew. Maize

240-465: A house built by Smith for Powhatan at the latter's regional village. For this reason, English settlers and their descendants called the area Werowocomoco. Its name was changed to a shorter version, Wicomico, by the US Post Office for ease of use when a post office was established at the village. In 1977, Daniel Mouer, an archaeologist at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), identified as

300-654: A large residential community. The Research Group has also recovered numerous English trade goods, produced from glass, copper , and other metals, which came from Jamestown. This conforms to colonists' accounts of trading at Werowocomoco; they noted that Powhatan was very interested in English objects, particularly copper, during the early days of the Jamestown colony. In 2004, researchers discovered two large earthworks : curving ditches, each more than 200 feet (61 m) in length and located about 1,000 feet (300 m) from

360-552: A portion of the property. Initial testing included digging 603 test holes, each 12 to 16 inches (410 mm) deep and 50 feet (15 m) apart. They found thousands of artifacts throughout the site, indicating that it had integrity and had not been much disturbed. These finds included a blue bead possibly made in Europe for trading . Because these findings showed substantial, extended 50-acre (200,000 m ) settlement and accorded with historical descriptions, they suggested this farm

420-695: A powerful political network of Virginia Indian tribes known as the Powhatan Confederacy . Members spoke the Powhatan language . The paramount chief of the Powhatan people in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Wahunsenacawh , had originally controlled only six tribes, but throughout the late 16th century, he added more tribes to his nation, through diplomacy or force. He added the Kecoughtan by 1598. By 1607, Wahunsenacawh controlled more than 30 tribes. The original six tribes under Wahunsenacawh were:

480-421: A sacred area. Continuing discoveries from excavations are helping scholars understand Virginia Indian-European relations. The period of interaction at this site was brief in relation to the many hundreds of years of prior indigenous settlement. This project is notable because archaeologists and other researchers have carefully incorporated consultation about planning and executing the excavations with members of

540-498: A swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River . By 1614, Wahunsenacawh had again moved his primary residence, this time further northwest to a location on the north bank of the Pamunkey River known as Matchut, which was not far from where Wahunsenacawh's brother Opechancanough ruled at Youghtanund . Wahunsenacawh died in 1618, after which the chiefdom was ultimately passed to his younger brother Opechancanough , who led

600-450: A variety of trade goods related to the brief interaction of Native Americans and English in the early years of Jamestown. Around 1609, Wahunsenacawh shifted his capital from Werowocomoco to Orapakes , located in a swamp at the head of the Chickahominy River , near the modern-day interchange of Interstate 64 and Interstate 295 . Sometime between 1611 and 1614, he moved further north to Matchut , in present-day King William County on

660-457: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Powhatan Confederacy Orapakes (1609–1614) Tsenacommacah (pronounced / ˌ s ɛ n ə ˈ k ɒ m ə k ə / SEN -ə- KOM -ə-kə in English; also written Tscenocomoco , Tsenacomoco , Tenakomakah , Attanoughkomouck , and Attan-Akamik ) is the name given by the Powhatan people to their native homeland, the area encompassing all of Tidewater Virginia and parts of

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720-521: Is believed that Powhatans would make offerings and pray to the sun during sunrises. Tsenacommacah originally had two capitals. The main capital was the village of Werowocomoco , located in present-day Gloucester County. The second capital, the village of Powhatan was believed to be in the present-day Powhatan Hill section of the eastern part of Richmond, Virginia , or perhaps nearby in a location that became part of Tree Hill Farm. The English colonists described Werowocomoco as only 15 miles (24 km) as

780-571: Is the location of Werowocomoco. The site is on a farm bordering on Purtan Bay of the York River, about 12 nautical miles (22 km) from Jamestown. The more than 50 acres (200,000 m ) residential settlement extends up to 1,000 feet (300 m) back from the river. In 2004, researchers excavated two curving ditches of 200 feet (60 m) at the far edge, which were constructed about 1400 CE. In addition to extensive artifacts from hundreds of years of Indigenous settlement, researchers have found

840-671: The Eastern Shore . More precisely, its boundaries spanned 100 miles (160 km) by 100 miles (160 km) from near the south side of the mouth of the James River all the way north to the south end of the Potomac River and from the Eastern Shore west to about the Fall Line of the rivers. The term Tsenacommacah comes from the Powhatan language , and means “densely inhabited land.” The Powhatan were part of

900-486: The Indian Massacre of 1622 as well as a second attack in 1644. Both attacks provoked retaliations from English colonists. A peace treaty, signed in 1646, brought an end to the conflicts between the Powhatan and the English. The treaty was signed by Opechancanough's successor Necotowance – Opechancanough himself was captured by English colonists and killed by a settler assigned to guard him in 1646. As part of

960-613: The National Park System . Under this proposal, Werowocomoco would be formally opened to public visitation under the management of the National Park Service. The National Park Service completed acquisition of the property in the summer of 2016. Thane Harpole and David Brown, two Gloucester-based archaeologists, have been instrumental in the work at the Purtan Bay site since 2002. Starting that year,

1020-590: The 1646 and 1677 treaties. As far as anyone knows, the tribes have not missed a "payment" in 331 years. Every year, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, they go to the Virginia Governor's house in Richmond to make their yearly payment. A ceremony is held in which a deer, turkey, or fish and some pottery are presented to the governor. Before the ceremony a brunch is held where the tribes can converse with

1080-532: The 17th century. Scholars believed West Point (a town established at the confluence of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers at the headwaters of the York River) seemed to meet a description of the Powhatan village in the writings of colonist John Smith: Fourteene myles from the river Powhatan is the river Pamunkee, which is navaginable 60 or 70 myles, but with Cathes and small Barkes 30 or 40 myles further. At

1140-557: The Arrohattocs and English colonists deteriorated, and by 1609 the tribe was unwilling to trade with the settlers. As the population began to dwindle, the tribe declined and was last mentioned in a 1610 report by the visiting William Strachey . By 1611 the tribe's Henrico town was found to be deserted when Sir Thomas Dale went to use the land to found Henricus . This article relating to the Indigenous peoples of North America

1200-746: The East, later called "barrens" by European colonists. The Powhatan also had rich fishing grounds. Bison had migrated to this area by the early 15th century. The Powhatan primarily used fires to heat their sleeping rooms. As a result, less bedding was needed, and bedding materials could be easily stored during daytime hours. Couples typically slept head to foot. Powhatan men were warriors and hunters, who traveled on foot through forests in pursuit of enemies or game. Women controlled agricultural fields and gardens. Women tended crops, and processed food, such as grinding cornmeal, and gathered wild plants, including nuts. The women also constructed hunting camps in advance of

1260-559: The Eastern Shore across the Chesapeake Bay, were paid nominal tribute to the Powhatan Chiefdom, but enjoyed autonomy under their own Paramount Chief or "Emperor", Debedeavon (aka "The Laughing King"). By early 1609, relations had begun to sour between the Powhatan and English colonists. As a result, Wahunsenacawh moved his primary residence from Werowocomoco , off the York River, to Orapax (or Orapakes), located in

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1320-579: The English, and more fully acknowledged the Virginia tribes' subjection to the King of England. All of the reservations, save two, were lost over the next two centuries. Even so, many of the remaining tribes still live in or near their ancestral lands. The Pamunkey and Mattaponi are the only tribes that still maintain their reservations from the 17th century. As such, these two tribes still make their yearly tribute payments, of fish and game, as stipulated by

1380-547: The Native Americans considered Werowocomoco may have included both the newly identified Purtan Bay site and the site of Powhatan's Chimney site. The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors noted that in the Algonquian language the designation for the village of the chief was not a place name, but more correctly translated as a reference to the lands where he lived. The culture frequently relocated quarters within

1440-531: The Pamunkey weroance , Totopotomoi , received 5,000 acres (20 km ) for his tribe along both sides of the upper Pamunkey River, and the Kiskiack weroance , Ossakican was reserved 5,000 acres (20 km ) on the Piankatank. In 1650, another treaty reserved land for the creation of Indian towns, where 50 acres (200,000 m ) of land was granted per warrior. These lands became smaller and smaller in

1500-905: The Powhatan (proper), the Arrohateck , the Appamattuck , the Pamunkey , the Mattaponi , and the Chiskiack . Other affiliated groups included the Rappahannocks , Weyanoak , Paspahegh , Warraskoyack , and Nansemond . Another closely related tribe of the same language group was the Chickahominy , but they managed to preserve their autonomy from the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom. The Accawmacke, located on

1560-548: The Weroance of Arrohattec (whose given name was Ashaquid) was often referred to simply as "Arrohattec", much as the Earl of Essex would be referred to just as "Essex" instead of a personal name. When the first English colonists arrived in Virginia, some of the weroances subject to the paramount chief Powhatan, or mamanatowick (Wahunsenacawh) were his own nearest male relatives: In Tsenacommacah, women could inherit power, because

1620-712: The Werowocomoco Research Group was formed to begin excavations. The Research Group is a collaborative effort of the College of William and Mary , and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, advised by eastern Virginia tribes. The excavations revealed a dispersed community of about 50 acres (200,000 m ), occupied from the 13th through the early 17th century (Woodland to early Contact). Artifacts recovered include Native pottery and stone tools, as well as floral and faunal remains from

1680-520: The York, were cut off from the southern tribes by the English colonial authorities. The Virginia Colony long respected its southern boundary established by this treaty, refusing to recognize settlements beyond it as late as 1705. However, the ban on settling north of the York River was lifted on September 1, 1649, and a wave of new immigrants quickly flooded the northern tribes, leaving them scattered and isolated on ever-shrinking patches of land. That year,

1740-408: The corn by force. Sending four "Dutchmen" (Germans) ahead by land to work on the house, Smith headed for Werowocomoco by sea on December 29 with a small force. Powhatan may also have been showing bad faith; while en route , Smith received a report at Warraskoyack that the chief was plotting an ambush of his party. After many stops, Smith arrived at Werowocomoco on January 12, 1609. The next day he

1800-494: The crow flies from Jamestown, but they also described as 25 miles (40 km) downstream from present-day West Point , measurements which conflict with each other. In 2003, archaeologists initiated excavations at a site in Gloucester County that revealed an extensive Indigenous settlement from about 1200 CE (the late Woodland period) through the early contact period. Work since then has added to their belief that this

1860-519: The early years of the English colony, the settlers suffered severely during the winter, a period known as the Starving Time . In December 1608, Powhatan offered to sell them an entire "shipload of corn in exchange for a grindstone, fifty swords, some guns, a cock and a hen, copper and beads, and some men to build him an English-style house." Smith affected to accept this proposal but instead of giving Powhatan weapons planned to surprise him and take

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1920-416: The eldest sister; but never to the heires of the males. Werowocomoco Werowocomoco was a village that served as the headquarters of Chief Powhatan , a Virginia Algonquian political and spiritual leader when the English founded Jamestown in 1607. The name Werowocomoco comes from the Powhatan werowans ( weroance ), meaning "leader" in English; and komakah (-comoco), "settlement". The town

1980-796: The fall line of the James River (the present-day Powhatan Hill neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia later developed on the site). Wahunsenacawh indicated to John Smith that his rise to power began to the west of Werowocomoco. It is unknown when Wahunsenacawh moved to Werowocomoco. As a place already well-known to his people as a regional center, he may have wanted to make use of it because of its association with previous Native American leaders. While residing there, he received tribute from several Virginia Algonquian tribes in return for providing food in times of famine, military protection, and spiritual powers. Additionally, he distributed sacred materials such as copper and certain colors of shell beads. Werowocomoco

2040-477: The following years. Tracts were surveyed for the remaining tribes in the following decades, but these quickly shrank as they were either sold off or in some cases actually seized outright. Following Bacon's Rebellion , the Treaty of Middle Plantation was signed by many Virginia Indian leaders in 1677, limiting Tsenocommacah even further. The treaty set up six reservations, reinforced the annual tribute payment to

2100-461: The governor. It has not always been easy for the Mattaponi and the Pamunkey to get the necessary items for their yearly payment, but they have made it a point of honor to uphold their end of the bargain. The population of Tsenacommacah was 14,000 to 21,000 people by 1607. The tribes shared mutually intelligible dialects of the Powhatan language. The language, however, died out by the 1790s after

2160-415: The inheritance of power was matrilineal . In A Map of Virginia John Smith of Jamestown explains: His [ Chief Powhatan 's] kingdome descendeth not to his sonnes nor children: but first to his brethren, whereof he hath 3 namely Opitchapan , Opechancanough , and Catataugh ; and after their decease to his sisters. First to the eldest sister, then to the rest: and after them to the heires male and female of

2220-519: The landowners initiated consultation with the Virginia Council on Indians to plan and execute excavations on the site. Representatives of local Virginia Indian tribes, some of whom are descendants of the tributary tribes of Powhatan, continue to advise the research. Excavations at the site since 2003 have revealed evidence of a large town, including two 200-foot (61 m)-long, curved, earthwork ditches built 1,000 feet (300 m) from

2280-498: The local recognized Virginia Indian tribes. These include the Mattaponi , Pamunkey , and Upper Mattaponi , some of whose people consider such sites sacred, as they include burial artifacts of their ancestors. When I step on this site folks...I just feel different. The spirituality just touches me and I feel it. Because of the significance of the excavations, in 2006 the Werwomocomo Archaeological Site

2340-456: The meeting, first recording it only some seventeen years later. By that time Pocahontas had both become a celebrity in England due to her 1616–17 visit there and had died, which allowed Smith to exploit their previous and perhaps actually slight acquaintance without contradiction from her. Severe droughts during the contact period were the likely cause of a decline in maize at Werowocomoco. In

2400-567: The men. Women were also likely barbers. They decorated homes and produced embellished clothing. The Powhatan domestic economy depended on the labor of both sexes. The original Powhatan religion was documented by Europeans. The Powhatans believed in two primary Gods. Ahone was the creator of life. Oke was the lesser twin god who accepted sacrifices and was prayed to for help. Beneath these two were many other spirits. The Powhatan tried to appease Oke with various offerings such as jewelry and tobacco. Religious leaders were advisors to tribal leaders. It

2460-404: The north bank of the Pamunkey River . Each tribe had its own name and chief ( werowance / weroance if male or weroansqua if female), and Tsenacommacah as a whole was ruled by a paramount chief ( mamanatowick ) named Wahunsenacawh, or more popularly Chief Powhatan . The Mamanatowick let their district and subordinate weroances make the final decision on how to handle hostile situations. This

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2520-464: The north bank of the Pamunkey River. After Powhatan's death in 1618, Opechancanough succeeded him as paramount chief, though controlling a smaller number of tribes than Powhatan had ruled. He used nearby Youghtanund as his capital, which served, as had Werowocomoco, as the place where he accepted tribute from subject tribes. The location of Werowocomoco was lost from English memories during

2580-610: The ordinary flowing of the salt water, it divideth itself into two gallent branches. On the South side inhabited the people Toughtamand[?], who haue about 60 men for warres. On the North branch Mattapoment [Mattaponi], who has 30 men. Where the river is divided the Country is called Pamaunkee [Pamunkey], and nourisheth neare 300 able men. About 25 myles lower on the North side of this river is Werawocomoco, where their great king inhabited when I

2640-582: The people switched to English. Much of the language has been forgotten, and is only known from two wordlists made by William Strachey and Captain John Smith . However, there have been attempts to reconstruct the language, particularly from linguists like Frank T. Siebert and Blair A. Rudes . The Powhatan lived in Tidewater Virginia . Their homes, called yehakins , were constructed by bending saplings and laying woven mats or bark over top of

2700-528: The possible location of Werowocomoco a site further west along the York River at Purtan Bay, less than 25 miles (40 km) from West Point and 15 miles (24 km) from Jamestown, about 7 miles (11 km) west of Gloucester . When he collected artifacts from the surface of plowed fields and along the beach, he found fragments of Indian ceramics ranging in time from the Late Woodland Period up to European contact. These indicated that this area

2760-590: The river bank about 1400, two hundred years before the English first visited the area. In 2006 the Werowocomoco Archeological Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In the future, scholars hope to find more evidence about the political nature of the Powhatan polity. In 2014, President Barack Obama proposed future federal budget funding to acquire this site in Gloucester County to make it part of

2820-407: The river. They may be part of a D-shaped construction noted on John Smith's 1612 map. The researchers have determined the ditches dated from about 1400 CE , indicating Virginia Indians had established long-term settlement at this site more than 200 years prior to the English arrival at Jamestown. Earthwork constructions were often integral to ceremonial centers, and these may have defined or separated

2880-493: The saplings. All of Virginia's natives practiced slash-and-burn agriculture , and cultivated maize . A village became unusable as soil productivity gradually declined and local fish and game were depleted, so they periodically moved their villages from site to site. Villagers cleared the fields by felling, girdling , or firing trees at the base and then using fire to reduce the slash and stumps. The natives also used fire to maintain extensive areas of open game habitat throughout

2940-514: The surviving tribes of the now-dissolved confederacy, the Appomattocs , Nansemonds , and Weyanokes retreated to the south, becoming independent of Necotowance, as did the Powhites or Powhatan proper. The Pamunkey , Mattaponi , Chickahominy , Rappahannock , Kiskiack , Wiccocomico , Patawomeck , Morattico , Nanzatico , Sekakawon , and Onawmanient , occupying the peninsulas north of

3000-424: The treaty of 1646, the size of Tsenacommacah was reduced. The boundaries specified in the treaty separated Virginia Indian lands from those that were considered colonial territory, and restricted crossings to those on official business. Badges were required for all visitors. The treaty also established the payment of a yearly tribute to the English, as well as delineating a number of tribal land reservations. Among

3060-493: Was delivered him prisoner; yet there are not past 40 able men. [ sic ] In later years, local people thought that Werowocomoco was located near Powhatan's Chimney , about 25 miles (40 km) east of present-day West Point, Virginia in the area of Timberneck Bay, slightly upstream on the York River from Gloucester Point . The chimney on the site was associated with the uncompleted house John Smith witnessed being constructed for Powhatan, which in local legend became

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3120-458: Was documented by English settlers in 1608 as located near the north bank of the York River in what is now Gloucester County . It was separated by that river and the narrow Virginia Peninsula from the English settlement of Jamestown, located on the James River . Powhatan's Chimney at Wicomico , a site of historical ruins associated with a house purported to have been built for Powhatan,

3180-415: Was given a warm welcome by the Arrohattocs, a reception that they enjoyed when they continued up the James River and arrived at another village, which was ruled over by Powhatan's son Parahunt, also known as Tanx (meaning "Little") Powhatan. The tribe would also continue to help the settlers when their fort was attacked by hostile Indians later that same year. However, as time progressed relations between

3240-412: Was long thought to have been the site of this capital. Its probable true site was tentatively identified by archaeologists in 2003 at a site on Purtan Bay , further west on the York River. Their survey and excavations revealed extensive artifacts, with habitation from the 13th into the 17th century. Its first settlement was dated about 1270 CE , with complex earthworks built about 1400 CE. The area that

3300-623: Was made apparent with the events that took place in 1607 and the hostility with the newcomers (English colonists). Weroances and Priest were the only ones allowed to enter into religious temples. A weroance did not go to meet any visitor, visitors were escorted to see a weroance. The weroance, their wives, and councilors often dressed in the finest jewels, and tanned deer skin. Several of the weroances' personal names were known and some recorded by William Strachey and other sources. The names of their respective chieftaincies were also commonly used as titles, exactly analogous to European peerages, so that

3360-472: Was not present at the site in large quantities until the Late Woodland period. Werowocomoco first became known to the early English settlers of Virginia as the residence of Wahunsenacawh or Wahunsonacock, the paramount weroance of the area. He and his people were known to them as Powhatan, a name derived from his native village, the small settlement of Powhatan , meaning the falls of the river, at

3420-428: Was taken to see progress on Powhatan's new house in the vicinity. Smith's men and Powhatan's, after failing to persuade each other to disarm, each tried to ambush the other during the negotiations. After these feints, the English had their corn. Smith's party traveled up the Pamunkey River to trade with Powhatan's brother Opechancanough, whom they threatened at gunpoint to gain food supplies. On returning to Werowocomoco

3480-468: Was the "possible site of 'Werowocomoco'." Based on his findings, the area was designated a Virginia Historic Site. In 2002 the Ripleys, then the landowners of the site, authorized additional archaeological exploration of their property. They had already found many ancient projectile points on the surface. Between March 2002 and April 2003, archaeologists conducted a comprehensive archaeological survey of

3540-442: Was the former site of Werowocomoco. "We believe we have sufficient evidence to confirm that the property is indeed the village of Werowocomoco", said Randolph Turner, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources' Portsmouth Regional Office in 2003. Studies of the early mapping evidence also support scholars' conclusions. Since 2003, a team of archaeologists and related researchers has been working at this site. They and

3600-645: Was the site of several interactions between Powhatan and the English colonists. Werowocomoco is best known as the site where John Smith , who had been captured by Powhatan's brother Opechancanough while foraging along the Chickahominy River , was taken to meet Powhatan in December 1607. According to Smith's 1624 account, now disputed by most scholars, Pocahontas , daughter of Powhatan, prevented her father from executing Smith at that time. Historians have been skeptical of this account, as Smith did not refer to this purported incident in earlier accounts (1608 and 1612) of

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