Werowocomoco was the chief village of the Powhatan Confederacy of Native American tribes, speaking an Algonquian language, who lived in what is now Virginia at the time of the first English-Native encounters during the establishment of Jamestown and the Virginia Colony in the early 17th century. The name itself comes from Powhatan werowans (weroance) "chief" and komakah (-comoco) "settlement".

The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten) were a very powerful confederacy headed by Wahunsunacock (the Chief Powhatan). When this chief created a powerful empire by conquering much of Virginia, he called his lands Tenakomakah and himself the Powhatan, actually a title corresponding to 'Emperor', but often assumed to be his given name. In addition to the village of Werowocomoco, he also maintained a headquarters at the village of Powhatan (in the eastern portion of the present site of Richmond, Virginia).

Werowocomoco was located on Purtan Bay along the north bank of the York River in Gloucester County, about 15 miles from Jamestown. Excavations have shown that the settlement dates to at least to the early 1400s ^*. It is best known as the probable location of the well-known and oft-told story of English soldier and pioneer John Smith's rescue by Pocahontas after he was captured by Opchanacanough, the younger brother of Chief Powhatan. According to Smith's account, Pocahontas, Chief Powhatan's daughter, prevented her father from executing Smith. However, if it indeed happened at all, it is also believed that this could have been a ritual intended to adopt Smith into the tribe. (Smith made no mention of the incident for over twenty years in his own writings). The story is unclear after 400 years and various dramatic and romanticized versions in book and film.

Students and faculty from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and the Werowocomoco Research Group have been studying the site, which was identified as the Powhatan capital in 2003. The site of Werowocomoco was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2006.

External links

• Werowocomoco Research Project - Excavation group's site
• News story about Werowocomoco
• The Anglo-Powhatan Wars
• John Smith's map of Virginia

History of Virginia | Gloucester County, Virginia | Registered Historic Places in Virginia | Powhatan Confederacy