New analysis of animal bones unearthed at the Jamestown settlement has revealed the previously unknown presence of donkeys among the colony’s earliest imported livestock, challenging the official record of animals brought to North America by English colonists. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers used advanced biomolecular and osteological techniques to identify the remains, confirming that at least one donkey served alongside horses as a work animal before both were ultimately consumed during a period of extreme famine.
The findings provide the first physical proof that donkeys were part of the vital animal workforce in the foundational English colony, a fact absent from ship manifests and other historical documents. Published in the journal Science Advances, the research not only rewrites a chapter of American livestock history but also casts a stark light on the desperate survival strategies of the settlers. Evidence etched into the bones demonstrates the animals were used for transport and labor before being systematically butchered, confirming historical accounts of the deadly “Starving Time” winter of 1609–1610 when colonists were forced to eat their own animals.
Archaeological Clues from Colonial Soil
The investigation centered on a small collection of domestic equid remains excavated from two sites associated with the initial occupation of Jamestown, Virginia. Archaeologists first identified the bones as belonging to horse-like animals, a significant find in itself as the introduction of horses was a consequential event for colonial infrastructure and Indigenous societies. The context of the discovery linked the remains to the earliest, most difficult years of the settlement. To confirm this timeline, researchers subjected the bones to rigorous radiocarbon dating.
The results of the dating were precise, placing the death of the animals in the 16th or early 17th century, a timeframe perfectly consistent with the colony’s founding in 1607 and the subsequent period of hardship. While historical records noted that horses arrived with the Third Supply fleet in the summer of 1609, the physical evidence provided a more granular and grim picture. The presence of remains from a juvenile horse also offered a key insight: despite the harsh environment, the imported animals were successfully reproducing in Virginia before the onset of the catastrophic winter.
A Deeper Scientific Analysis
To move beyond simple identification, the scientific team employed a suite of advanced analytical methods to extract the maximum amount of information from the centuries-old bones. This multi-proxy approach was essential to distinguishing between closely related species and uncovering the life history of each animal.
Genetic and Isotopic Fingerprints
Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis was critical in confirming the species of each specimen. While most of the remains were identified as domestic horses (Equus caballus), the genomic data from one adult specimen conclusively identified it as a domestic donkey (Equus asinus). This genetic confirmation was the first definitive evidence of their presence. Further analysis of the donkey’s DNA revealed it had mixed European and West African ancestry, a finding that immediately raised questions about its origins.
To trace its geographic journey, researchers conducted stable isotope analysis on the animal’s tooth enamel. The chemical signatures locked within the enamel reflect the geology and water sources of the region where the animal was raised. The isotopic data indicated the donkey did not originate in Great Britain, corroborating the genetic evidence. Instead, its chemical profile was consistent with regions like Iberia or the Caribbean, suggesting it was acquired during a transatlantic stopover.
An Undocumented Transatlantic Journey
The revelation of the donkey’s non-British and mixed-ancestry origins reshapes our understanding of early colonial supply chains. While English ships were the primary mode of transport, the journey was not always a direct one from London to Virginia. The evidence strongly suggests that colonists engaged in undocumented trade or acquisition of animals during their voyages. The ship carrying the animals may have stopped in the Spanish-controlled Canary Islands, elsewhere in Iberia, or the Caribbean, where donkeys were common work animals.
This finding highlights the global connectivity of even the earliest English settlements in North America. The donkey represents a previously invisible link in a complex network of transatlantic exchange, one that blended English colonial efforts with the broader Iberian and West African spheres of influence. The animal was likely acquired for its reputation as a hardy and dependable work animal, valued for its strength and resilience in difficult conditions—traits that would have been indispensable in the formidable task of building a new colony.
Evidence of Labor and Desperation
The research team also examined the bones for signs of use, seeking to understand the animals’ roles while they were alive. The skeletal remains told a clear story of labor, with multiple bones showing the tell-tale signs of strain and activity associated with transport.
Life as a Beast of Burden
An asymmetric cross-section found on a metapodial bone pointed to repeated load-bearing activity, consistent with its use as a pack or draft animal. Even more compelling were fractures to the enamel of a lower second premolar, a specific type of wear often seen in animals subjected to a bridle. This detail suggests the Jamestown horses and donkeys were not merely livestock but were actively engaged in the hard physical labor required to establish the settlement, from hauling supplies to clearing land.
Consumed During the ‘Starving Time’
The final chapter of the animals’ lives was one of violence and desperation, as revealed by an extraordinary number of cultural modifications on the bones. An analysis showed that 82% of the equid specimens exhibited clear evidence of butchery. These were not random marks but systematic signs of processing for consumption, including dozens of cut marks, chop marks, and spiral fractures made to access marrow. Some bones were also burned, indicating they were cooked over a fire.
This physical evidence aligns perfectly with the harrowing written accounts of George Percy and others who documented the “Starving Time.” During that winter, after a series of disasters destroyed their food supplies, the colonists consumed every available source of protein, from their horses and dogs to cats and rats. The butchered equid bones are tangible proof of this struggle for survival, demonstrating that these valuable work animals were ultimately sacrificed as a last resort against starvation.
Filling Gaps in the Historical Record
The comprehensive analysis of the Jamestown equid remains provides a powerful example of how archaeology and modern science can illuminate aspects of the past that written records omit. The official documents of the Virginia Company are silent on the presence of donkeys, yet the bones offer undeniable proof of their existence and contribution to the colony. This research not only adds a new species to the list of Jamestown’s earliest inhabitants but also deepens our understanding of the colonists’ logistical networks and the brutal realities they faced.
By combining evidence from DNA, isotopes, and osteology, the study paints a detailed picture of animals that were globally sourced, put to hard labor, and ultimately consumed in a desperate fight for survival. It is a testament to how much information can be gleaned from just a few fragments of bone, allowing researchers to piece together a more complete and complex story of the founding of America.