MONACAN SITES IN VIRGINIA 

 By DAVID I. BUSHNELL, JR. 



When the English colonists reached the shores of Virginia, early 

 in the seventeenth century, they found the country occupied by several 

 groups of tribes speaking different languages. Extending westward 

 from the coast to the falls were numerous villages of the Powhatan 

 Confederacy. Beyond the falls, in the piedmont section of the pres- 

 ent state, lived Siouan tribes constituting two or more distinct groups. 

 Southward from the Potomac to the Rapidan were the Manahoacs ; 

 adjoining them and claiming the country as far as the valley of the 

 James were the Monacan tribes. In 1608 the latter occupied five large 

 villages, and although only two of the ancient towns were visited by 

 Europeans the names and locations of the remaining three were so 

 clearly stated by Indians that it was possible to indicate them on a map 

 prepared in 161 2. The three villages which had been abandoned by 

 the native inhabitants before the country was entered by European 

 settlers, and consequently may never have been seen by the colonists, 

 were Rassawek, which stood at the confluence of the Rivanna and 

 James Rivers; Monahassanugh, on the left bank of the James just 

 below the present town of Norwood, Nelson County; and Monasuka- 

 panough, on both banks of the Rivanna, a short distance above the 

 Southern Railway bridge, in Albemarle County. 



The area, roughly triangular, bounded on two sides by the rivers 

 and on the third by the foothills of the Blue Ridge, with the three 

 native villages occupying the angles, was evidently a favorite hunt- 

 ing ground as is shown by the vast number of arrowpoints scattered 

 over the surface, as well as by traces of small camps often encountered 

 in the vicinity of springs or on the banks of the smaller streams. Many 

 sites have been examined by the writer during the past year and small 

 collections of typical stone objects formed. In the southern part of the 

 triangular area, a few miles from the left bank of the James, on both 

 sides of the line between Albemarle and Nelson Counties, are exten- 

 sive outcroppings of soapstone. Many pits, excavated by Indians, are 

 easily discerned, and quantities of broken bowls and bits of stone left 

 by the Indian artisan are scattered over the surface near the quarries. 



Settlers entered the region just two centuries ago. Few Indians 

 remained. Game was abundant and even buffalo are known to have 



14 211 



