Journal article
Early transatlantic movement of horses and donkeys at Jamestown
Science advances, Vol.11(36), p.eadw2595
09/05/2025
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adw2595
PMCID: PMC12407088
PMID: 40901968
Abstract
Domestic equids were central to the initial colonization of the Atlantic coast of the Americas, a process partially chronicled by historical records. While Spanish colonists brought horses to the Caribbean decades earlier, settlement of the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, was among the first dispersals of horses to the eastern seaboard. Archaeozoological analysis of identifiable domestic equid remains from two contexts associated with the initial occupation of Jamestown demonstrates intense processing and consumption of the first Jamestown horses during the "Starving Time" winter of 1609. Osteological and biomolecular study of these equid remains demonstrates their successful reproduction at the colony and use in transport activities and identifies an adult domestic donkey with mixed European and West African ancestry, possibly supplied through undocumented exchange during a transatlantic stopover. These results reveal the challenges of equid translocation in early settlement of eastern North America and the global connectivity of early transatlantic animal exchange.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Early transatlantic movement of horses and donkeys at Jamestown
- Creators
- William Timothy Treal Taylor - University of Colorado BoulderNicolas Delsol - Université LavalVicky M Oelze - University of California, Santa CruzPeter Mitchell - Oxford ArchaeologyLeah Stricker - Preservation VirginiaMichael Lavin - Preservation VirginiaAkin Ogundiran - Northwestern UniversityLauren Hosek - University of Colorado BoulderChristina Isabelle Barrón-Ortiz - Royal Alberta MuseumOlumide Ojediran - University of Colorado BoulderDiana Quintero-Bisono - Museum of BoulderLucy Keith-Diagne - African Aquatic Conservation Fund, BP Joal, 23015, Senegal, West AfricaDane Magoon - University of LeicesterMatthew E Hill Jr - University of Iowa, AnthropologyAriane E Thomas - University of IowaAnna Waterman - Mount Mercy UniversityDavid W Peate - University of IowaLorelei Chauvey - Centre d'Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de ToulouseStéphanie Schiavinato - Centre d'Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de ToulouseLaure Calvière-Tonasso - Centre d'Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de ToulouseLuís Borges - Direção Regional dos Assuntos Culturais dos Açores, Rua da Conceição, Palacete Silveira e Paulo, 9700-054 Angra do Heroísmo, PortugalAitor Brito-Mayor - Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran CanariaJonathan Santana - Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran CanariaGeorge Kamenov - University of FloridaLudovic Orlando - Centre d'Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de ToulouseJohn Krigbaum - University of Florida
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Science advances, Vol.11(36), p.eadw2595
- DOI
- 10.1126/sciadv.adw2595
- PMID
- 40901968
- PMCID
- PMC12407088
- NLM abbreviation
- Sci Adv
- ISSN
- 2375-2548
- eISSN
- 2375-2548
- Publisher
- AAAS
- Grant note
- National Science Foundation (NSF): 1949305 France Genomique National Infrastructure, as part of "Investissement d'avenir" program: ANR-10-INBS-09 CNRS International Research Project AnimalFarmFrance Genomique Appel a Grand Projet (MARENGO project): ANR-10-INBS-09-08 European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme: 101071707-HorsePower University of Colorado-Boulder Libraries Open Access Fund
This research was funded through an award by the National Science Foundation (NSF no. 1949305, "Horses and Human Societies in the American West") and by France Genomique National Infrastructure, as part of "Investissement d'avenir" program managed by Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR-10-INBS-09); the CNRS International Research Project AnimalFarm; the France Genomique Appel a Grand Projet (ANR-10-INBS-09-08, MARENGO project); and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreements 681605-PEGASUS and 101071707-HorsePower). Publication of this article was funded bythe University of Colorado-Boulder Libraries Open Access Fund.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/05/2025
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology; Honors Program
- Record Identifier
- 9984958605302771
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