One reason why the colonists selected a site for Jamestown some miles up
the James River was to develop the Indian trade over an extensive area.
During the early years of the colony, trade with the natives was
encouraged. It is clear from the early records that the settlers
bartered such items as beads, cloth, penny knives, shears, bells, glass
toys, whistles, hatchets, pots and pans, brass casting counters, and
similar objects in exchange for Indian corn (and other vegetables),
fish, game, fruits and berries, and furs.
Many examples of English trade goods used for bartering with the Indians
have been found on the island, but these can be described only briefly.
Beads.--The majority of glass beads were shipped from England, although
some may have been made in Italy, probably in Venice. As no glass beads
were found at or near the site of the glass factory, it is doubtful
whether any were made there. Most beads in the collection are round or
oval, a few are cylindrical having been cut from colored glass rods. All
beads excavated are of one or more colors, with the exception of 2 or 3
that are colorless. After three centuries the attractive colors still
persist; and looking at the colorful beads today you can understand the
charm they held for the Indians.
Knives.--Small, inexpensive knives called penny knives, were often used
for trading purposes during the years at Jamestown. A few folding knives
and blade fragments (which may also have been penny knives) have been
recovered.
Shears.--Several shears and scissors, highly prized by the Indians, were
found on the island. A few are almost complete.
Bells.--Brass and iron bells of types which were used for bartering with
the Indians have been excavated. A few days after the colonists reached
Jamestown one of them recorded that "our captaine ... presented [to an
Indian chief] gyftes of dyvers sortes, as penny knyves, sheeres, belles,
beades, glass toyes &c. more amply then before."
[Illustration: BRASS CASTING COUNTERS EXCAVATED ON JAMESTOWN ISLAND.
MANY WERE MADE IN GERMANY BEFORE 1575 FOR USE BY MERCHANTS ON COUNTING
BOARDS. IN THE NEW WORLD THEY WERE USED FOR THE INDIAN TRADE.]
[Illustration: A FEW OBJECTS UNEARTHED AT JAMESTOWN WHICH WERE USED FOR
TRADING WITH THE INDIANS. SHOWN ARE GLASS BEADS, SCISSORS, IRON KNIVES,
A HATCHET, AND BELL FRAGMENTS.]
Hatchets.--Many fine specimens of handwrought hatchets have been found.
These were valuable items during the early years of the settlement, and
much sought after by the Indians, so that a large number were used in
trading with them. But hatchets were used primarily by the carpenter,
cooper, and other artisans.
Pots and Pans.--A pot or pan made of brass or copper was almost worth
its weight in gold for trading purposes. A few complete examples,
together with numerous fragments, have been recovered.
Brass Casting Counters or Jettons.--Most of these thin brass tokens or
counters (similar in appearance to coins) were made in Germany during
the second half of the 16th century. In Europe they were used on
counting boards for making mathematical calculations, but in the New
World it is believed that they were used in the Indian trade.
Approximately a dozen have been found at Jamestown. Three were also
found on Roanoke Island (site of Raleigh's ill-fated "Lost Colony") and
one was recovered in an Indian shell mound near Cape Hatteras, not too
distant from Croatoan Island (known today as Ocracoke Island). Many of
the counters in the Jamestown collection were made by Hans Schultes and
Hans Laufer of Nuremberg, who manufactured such jettons between 1550 and
1574, at which time Nuremberg was a center for the making of casting
counters. Some of the counters have holes punched through them,
indicating that the Indians may have worn them around their necks like
pendants, suspended from leather thongs.
Miscellaneous Items.--Other objects which the English used in trade with
the Indians were colored cloth, glass toys, and whistles; but no
examples of these have been recovered during archeological explorations.
[Illustration: A WHARF SCENE--ARRIVAL OF A SHIP FROM THE MOTHER COUNTRY.
(Conjectural sketch by Sidney E. King.)]