WorksheetsWritten in Bone Ch. 1 Reading Check: A Grave Mystery
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 16mins
What did Dr. Owsley conclude about the deceased after examining the skeleton?
the skeleton's last meal
the skeleton's age, gender, and ancestry
the skeleton's exact birthdate
What states are included in the Chesapeake Bay region?
Delaware, Maryland, and Connecticut
Rhode Island, Virginia, and Jamestown
Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware
Why do archaeologists search for artifacts and remains?
to sell artifacts and remains to museums
to reclaim land for the government
to understand the past
What is forensic anthropology?
a branch of science that studies living organisms
the study of animals and their environments
the study and interpretation (explanation) of skeletal remains
What was the purpose of Jamestown Rediscovery Project?
to locate skeletal remains to sell to museums
to locate coins brought to the New World by settlers
to find the location of James Fort
What clue did the Jamestown Rediscovery team have about the location of James Fort?
the fort was surrounded by a large stone wall
the fort was near the brick church tower
the fort was near the coast of Maine
How do scientists preserve information about the excavation site?
They make precise records, photographs, diagrams, and maps to show each step of the dig.
They dig up the skeletons, carefully remove the dirt, and bury the remains in another area of the excavation site.
They build miniature models to depict James Fort.
What steps did the scientists use to excavate the fort site?
a) drill a 50 foot hole beneath the soil surface b) use cranes to excavate the skeletons c) drew maps to show the locations of the skeletons
a) map out the stone walls surrounding the fort b) dig up the graves and backfill with cement c) chisel the bones apart for lab investigation
a) measure and mark off grid squares b) carefully remove soil from the squares c) search for artifacts, soil stains, and soil changes
How were the circular soil stains helpful to scientists?
the circular soil stains told the numbers of skeletons buried at James Fort
the circular soil stains told the types of crops grown by the settlers
the circular soil stains showed the location of vertical logs of the fort walls
What did the Jamestown Rediscovery team find at the James Fort dig site?
artifacts, soil stains, and almost fifty graves
soil stains, artifacts, and almost 30 graves
artifacts, skeletal remains, soil stains, and almost 50 graves
How many graves were found within the fort walls?
more than 100
more than 50
more than 30
Why did the Jamestown colonists have two cemeteries, one inside the fort, one outside the fort?
Theory: Settlers couldn't safely leave the fort to bury their dead, because they were under siege by the Indians.
Theory: People who died from illness were buried outside the fort.
Theory: People who weren't of an important status were not allowed to be buried inside the fort.
What were the causes of death in Jamestown in the early 1600s?
heat exhaustion, hurricanes, and wild animal attacks
illness, starvation, and/or injury from warfare
war with Spain, Indian attacks, and rotten food
What was The Starving Time?
the summer of 1602-1603, when the rainy season flooded the fields and damaged the settler's crops
the spring of 1650-1651, when crops became diseased and caused illness
the winter of 1609-1610, when more than 150 people in Jamestown died
How does soil color reveal a grave?
the backfill soil is a different color than the soil in the walls of the grave shaft
the backfill soil is the same color and texture as the soil inside the grave shaft
beige-colored soil reveals an earlier flood on the land
What are the steps of the standard procedure for excavating a grave?
dig a hole with heavy equipment, empty the dirt into dump trucks, haul away the dirt to a lab to sift out the artifacts
number each grave, drill a hole for camera equipment to view the skeleton, laser the surface of the ground to map the grid squares
photograph the stain of the grave, remove soil and place in buckets, sift soil to find artifacts, number each feature and artifact
a specialist who examines skeletons for clues that provide evidence about the life and death of the people to whom they belonged
archaelogist
forensic anthropologist
historian
removing earth carefully and in an organized way to find buried remains
demolition
construction
excavation
In chapter 1, "scientists gather information about a _____ year old _____ whose remains were found at ____________________."
15, boy, Jamestown
13, teen, Europe
15, girl, Delaware
Why does the historical record of early settlers have so many gaps?
Early settlers were unable to read and write.
Much of the historical record was destroyed by fire and the elements.
Indians confiscated and destroyed the records.
Who was the archaeologist who broke ground on the Jamestown Rediscovery Project in 1994?
Gosnold
Kelso
James
Why did settlers build a palisade wall?
a defense against invaders
a way to prevent settlers from leaving
a separation between the settlers who were sick and those who were well
Who arrived in the Jamestown Colony in 1608?
King James
women
slaves
When did slave ships arrive in Jamestown?
1607
1611
1619
verbal stories passed down through generations that add to the historical record of a time, place, event, or peoples
oral traditions
videography
artifacts
