Historic Jamestowne -- Home
Jamestown Rediscovery
Findings Exhibits History Visit Publications Resources Contact Support
Preservation Virginia > Jamestown Rediscovery > Findings > Fort Excavation Area > Powder Magazine

Powder Magazine

Powder Magazine A circular feature, roughly 15 feet across and 6 feet deep was found in the southeast bulwark. It has straight sides and a flat bottom. The artifacts from this feature, Pit 3, indicate a fill date sometime in the early James Fort period. Ceramics, military arms and armor, tobacco pipes, coins, tokens, and a medical implement, all dating around 1610, were found in the sealed contexts of the pit. How this feature relates to the bulwark and the chronology of the fort construction overall is still being researched. It is possible that it served as a place to store powder near the bulwark guns, but dug deep enough to prohibit accidental explosions.




Preservation Virginia National Park Service