Powhatan Indian Village

At the time of the English arrival in Virginia, the tribes of the Powhatan chiefdom lived in communities of varying sizes. Larger towns contained the residences of chiefs as well as specialized structures such as storehouses and a temple. The Paspahegh tribe had towns upriver from Jamestown on both sides of the mouth of the Chickahominy River. Powhatan people obtained a wide variety of food and raw material from the land and waterways surrounding each town. Women and children worked the adjacent fields and gathered wild plants and roots. Men hunted and fished, but used time in the town to work on their tools, weapons and canoes. Production of clothing from deer and other hides and the making of mats to cover houses were activities as well. Most households included a nuclear family of father, mother and their children. These people played games and held social and religious ceremonies, such as daily offerings to the gods and spirits, within the confines of the town.

Virginia · United States