Archaeologists have revealed new insights into the oldest tombstone in the United States, dating back to 1627, located in the Jamestown settlement and believed to belong to English knight Sir George Yeardley.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Historical Archaeology found that the tombstone’s black limestone is of European origin, likely sourced from Belgium, rather than North America.

This finding highlights the transatlantic trade routes of the time, as the stone was possibly quarried, shaped, and decorated in Europe before being shipped to Jamestown, Fox News has reported.

The tombstone is notable for being the oldest black “marble” tombstone in the Chesapeake Bay region and the only known tombstone in the English colonies featuring engraved brass inlays.

Written by B.C. Begley