# Do the Hatteras Island excavations show that colonists lived at Croatoan? · Lost Colony of Roanoke > Three answers have been proposed. No; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:55+00:00 --- **0** # Do the Hatteras Island excavations show that colonists lived at Croatoan? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: no; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. No; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters The 2025 hammerscale announcement is the most concrete claim yet for Croatoan⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBYAT1H00/smoking-gun-evidence-of-lost-colonys-relocation-to-hatteras), after the best-known earlier find, the ring, proved to be a later brass trade item⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBXV63SFJ/the-mystery-of-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist). ## Answers 3 [**No; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCEY22EP8/no-the-english-objects-are-later-trade-goods-or-heirlooms) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCFNG671R/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Yes; a permanent forge and English tools in a 16th-century layer show colonists living there.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCE6M191M/yes-a-permanent-forge-and-english-tools-in-a-16th-century) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 2 for Still possible ## History 1. 2017[Lawler puts forward: no; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBXV63SFJ/the-mystery-of-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist) 1. 2017[Lawler: horton reported an Elizabethan-type rapier hilt.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBXV63SFJ/the-mystery-of-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist)For: Yes; a permanent forge and English tools in a 16th-century layer show colonists living there. 1. 2017[Lawler: the ring is brass, of a mass-produced type, found among artifacts of 1670–1720.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBXV63SFJ/the-mystery-of-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist)For: No; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town. 1. 2020[Lawler: critics date the Hatteras finds to the mid to late 17th century.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBY301Q8X/newfound-survivor-camp-may-explain-fate-of-the-famed-lost)For: No; the English objects are later trade goods or heirlooms reaching a Croatoan town. 1. 2025[Crist puts forward: yes; a permanent forge and English tools in a 16th-century layer show colonists living there.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBYAT1H00/smoking-gun-evidence-of-lost-colonys-relocation-to-hatteras) 1. 2025[Crist: hammerscale and adjacent animal teeth said to date to the late 1500s.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBYAT1H00/smoking-gun-evidence-of-lost-colonys-relocation-to-hatteras)For: Yes; a permanent forge and English tools in a 16th-century layer show colonists living there. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7BW02SK/do-the-hatteras-island-excavations-show-that-colonists-lived%23add-source) Where it fits Lost Colony of Roanoke **Do the Hatteras Island excavations show that colonists lived at Croatoan?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]