Kingsmill Plantations, 1619-1800

'Kingsmill Plantations,' Kelso's first-hand account of a great feat of rescue archaeology, covers a three-year period and the excavation of 15 separate sites. The various properties dated as far back as 1619 -- placing them among the earliest of American settlements -- and continued up through the 18th century. Because the division of labor on the Kingsmill plantations was typical of the era, the settlement could provide an invaluable microcosmic view of colonial Virginia. Meticulous study of the structures and their surroundings -- including faunal analyses and inventories of entire households -- allowed Kelso and his colleagues to construct a remarkably detailed picture of life in Kingsmill over the course of nearly 200 years.

At once scholarly and highly readable, 'Kingsmill Plantations' speaks to both expert and amateur. An extensive collection of illustrations -- including maps, diagrams, and contemporary and archival photographs -- makes the narrative especially vivid.