Archaeologists from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, led by anthropology professor Julia King, discovered thousands of Indigenous artifacts at Fones Cliffs along Virginia’s Rappahannock River, confirming locations of Native American villages documented by Captain John Smith over 400 years ago.
The findings, highlighted in a Washington Post article published in late 2025, stem from summer excavations involving King, current students, and college alumni working in collaboration with the federally recognized Rappahannock Tribe. Artifacts include distinctive pottery types and other items from village sites that align with tribal oral histories, historical records, and Smith’s 1608 map of the region.
“Archaeology can deepen, confirm and complicate what the oral history and historical documents relate about these past places,” King said.
King emphasized the role of student researchers in the project.
“Our students, whether they stick with the project beyond graduation or not, have contributed to finding answers to real-world questions,” she said.
The collaboration began in 2016 when the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Office, Chesapeake Conservancy, and Rappahannock Tribe requested King’s expertise to support interpretation for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. This water-based national trail traces Smith’s exploratory voyages along approximately 3,000 miles of Chesapeake Bay waterways, highlighting encounters with Indigenous communities and natural resources.
Fones Cliffs, now part of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, features distinctive white cliffs formed from ancient diatomaceous earth. The area holds significance as a site where Rappahannock people observed and engaged with Smith’s party in 1608. Acquired for conservation after previous private ownership and potential development threats, the refuge protects habitats while allowing tribal and archaeological access.
Excavations have uncovered over 11,000 artifacts across multiple parcels, providing evidence of pre-contact and early contact period settlements. The work builds trust between academic researchers and Indigenous communities, addressing historical imbalances in Chesapeake region archaeology.
St. Mary’s College, located in historic St. Mary’s City—the site of Maryland’s first colonial capital—maintains strong ties to regional history through its anthropology program. Students participate in field schools and projects examining Chesapeake Indigenous and colonial sites, gaining hands-on experience in methods like surface surveys, shovel test pits, and unit excavations.
King holds the George B. and Willma Reeves Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts, appointed in 2024 in recognition of her scholarship bridging humanities and Indigenous histories. The endowed position, established in 1997 with support from the Reeves family of St. Mary’s County and a National Endowment for the Humanities matching grant, honors distinguished teaching and interdisciplinary leadership.
The Captain John Smith trail connects sites across Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, offering water and land-based access points. In Southern Maryland, nearby segments along the Patuxent and Potomac rivers provide opportunities for kayaking, boating, and viewing interpretive signs about early explorations.
Rappahannock tribal members continue to guide interpretations, ensuring findings respect cultural protocols. Ongoing research at Fones Cliffs contributes to broader understanding of Algonquian societies in the Chesapeake, including trade networks, governance, and environmental adaptations.
Prospective students interested in anthropology at St. Mary’s College can explore programs combining classroom study with fieldwork in local and regional sites. The college’s waterfront location on the St. Mary’s River facilitates studies of Chesapeake ecosystems and histories.
Discoveries like those at Fones Cliffs illustrate how archaeological evidence complements tribal knowledge and colonial accounts, enriching public understanding of pre-colonial life in the Mid-Atlantic.
Washington Post coverage of the project details specific artifact types and site contexts.
The Rappahannock Tribe, based in Indian Neck, Virginia, regained access to ancestral lands through conservation partnerships, including portions returned in recent years.
Southern Maryland residents familiar with Chesapeake Bay history recognize connections between Smith’s voyages and local waterways, where similar Indigenous sites await further study.