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Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland


by Sally M. Walker
J Nonfiction
Carolrhoda Books 2009
137 pages

Sooooo interesting! What can we learn from coffins and skeletons found hundreds of years after the people were buried? Plenty! Walker takes us through the fascinating world of archeology as scientists dig up colonial era burial plots at several different sites in the Chesapeake area. Clues about life in the 1700's are "written in bone", as the author tells us. What that means is that bones hold clues as to how old a person was when they died, whether they were male or female, how they might have died, and even what kind of work they may have done. The reader will also learn a lot about the burial customs of the people who lived all those years ago.

Well researched, with on site photography done by the author herself, Written in Bone is a great read, sure to keep your attention. For grades 5 and up.

Comments

ldsjaneite said…
I haven't even heard of this book--and now I live near the area. I should look it up!

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