Bacon’s Rebellion began as a campaign of violence against the region’s Indigenous people carried out in defiance of the royal governor. The elite instigators of the insurrection garnered broad support by stoking prejudice and exploiting the desperation of struggling and marginalized groups, including many in the colony’s growing, and increasingly oppressed African population who saw in the uprising a chance for self-liberation.

Three hundred and fifty years later, archaeological traces of these events are still evident at sites across Virginia. In the 1980s, archaeological excavations revealed evidence of the damage and subsequent clean-up efforts in a large pit hastily concealed beneath the elaborate garden completed at the end of the 17th century.

As part of our Reconsidering Bacon’s Rebellion at 350 series, Nicholas M. Luccketti who supervised the excavations will describe this remarkable discovery and discuss how he made the connection to Bacon’s Rebellion. Then, Rebekah Planto, PhD., will take a closer look at some of the artifacts recovered from the pit, considering what such ordinary finds from an extraordinary context can reveal about everyday life and labor during this pivotal period.

This event will take place on August 19th at Bacon’s Castle at 6PM, tickets are $15 each.

In 2026, “The Archaeology of Bacon’s Rebellion” is presented as part of “Reconsidering Bacon’s Rebellion at 350 Years,” a joint program series by Preservation Virginia, Jamestown Rediscovery, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, William & Mary Office of Strategic Cultural Partnerships, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, the Rappahannock Indian Tribe, and the Nottoway Indian Tribe with support from Virginia Humanities.

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