America Unearthed Season 1 Episode 5 A Deadly Sacrifice

In America Unearthed season 1 episode 5, titled "A Deadly Sacrifice," host Scott Wolter explores the mysterious disappearance of the Roanoke Colony, a group of English settlers who established a colony in what is now North Carolina in the late 16th century. The colony was established in 1587 by 117 people, but within three years, the settlers had inexplicably vanished without a trace.

Wolter begins his investigation by visiting the site where the Roanoke Colony was established, which is now a national park. He speaks with an archaeologist who has been studying the site and learns that there are a number of theories surrounding what happened to the settlers. Some people believe that the settlers were killed by local Native American tribes, while others think that they assimilated into the local tribe and simply disappeared.

Wolter is particularly intrigued by a theory that suggests that the colonists were killed as part of a ritual sacrifice by local Native Americans. He speaks with a historian who tells him that there is evidence to suggest that some Native American tribes in the area practiced ritual sacrifice, and that some of the English settlers may have been taken captive and used in these rituals.

To explore this theory further, Wolter visits a Native American tribe that has ancestors who may have been involved in the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. He speaks with the tribe's leader and learns about the tribe's history and traditions, including their beliefs about ritual sacrifice. The leader tells Wolter that he believes that there is some truth to the theory that the colonists were sacrificed, but that he also thinks that there is more to the story than what has been commonly believed.

Finally, Wolter visits a forensic anthropologist who specializes in identifying human remains. He shows the anthropologist some bones that were found at the site of the Roanoke Colony and asks him to determine whether they could be the remains of the missing settlers. The anthropologist performs a series of tests and concludes that the bones are not human, and that they are likely the remains of a deer or some other animal.

In the end, while Wolter is unable to definitively solve the mystery of the Roanoke Colony, he does present a compelling case for the theory that the settlers were killed as part of a ritual sacrifice. He leaves viewers with an eerie reminder of how little we know about the history of this country, and how much more there is to discover.