A dramatic portrait-oriented movie poster showing a foggy, windswept Roanoke Island with an ancient tree bearing the word 'Croatoan' in bold letters at the top; the title 'The Mystery of the Lost Colony' is prominently displayed at the top with mysterious, historical imagery in the background.

The Roanoke event refers to the mysterious disappearance of one of the earliest English colonies established on Roanoke Island in the late sixteenth century.

The Roanoke Colonies | First Colony Foundation

Map of the Atlantic Ocean depicting Iberia, Africa, a few Caribbean Islands, and a large landmass labeled "Terra Incognita."

Governor John White left the colony to fetch vital supplies from England, and upon his return in 1590 he discovered that the settlement had vanished, with only the word 'Croatoan' carved on a tree as a clue.

A69M2A Roanoke Colony found abandoned without a trace except Croatoan carved on a tree 1591

One of many examples of carvings of women, this tree also features names. Below the woman, "Hermanos Garate Santi y Victor" is carved, dated August 24, 1961. A Peruvian herder added his name on the side of the tree in 2002.

Scholars and historians have proposed various theories about the fate of these settlers, suggesting they may have integrated with local Native American tribes or succumbed to conflict, famine, or natural disasters.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke: 8 Theories About the Mysterious Island and Its Inhabitants

The Mystery of the Lost Colony

The Roanoke event refers to the mysterious disappearance of one of the earliest English colonies established on Roanoke Island in the late sixteenth century.
Governor John White left the colony to fetch vital supplies from England, and upon his return in 1590 he discovered that the settlement had vanished, with only the word 'Croatoan' carved on a tree as a clue.
Scholars and historians have proposed various theories about the fate of these settlers, suggesting they may have integrated with local Native American tribes or succumbed to conflict, famine, or natural disasters.

The Mystery of the Lost Colony

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