How do we know that the site of the excavation is the Werowocomoco of history and legend?

Researchers point to three lines of evidence.

1. Maps.
John Smith left them, as did Robert Tyndall. There’s also a third, known as the Pedro Zuniga map. Each one depicts Werowocomoco on the York River and allows researchers to project the location of Wero in the vicinity of Purton Bay.

2. John Smith’s narrative accounts.
Capt. Smith described distances between Werowocomoco and Jamestown and other landmarks in the area. He also described the physical layout: On a broad shallow bay fed by three creeks—just like the study site.

3. Archaeological finds.
The site is clearly a large Contact-era community with ties to Jamestown. For instance, copper recovered at Werowocomoco has been chemically matched to Jamestown copper.