An engraving by Theodor de Bry depicting a Secotan mortuary structure, based on the sketches of John White from the 1585 Roanoke expedition.

This engraving, titled A Tomb of the Great, is a work by the Flemish engraver Theodor de Bry. It was produced for the publication 'A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia', which documented the encounters between European explorers and the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The image depicts a mortuary structure, known as a 'quioccosan', used by the Secotan people of present-day North Carolina.

The composition presents a cross-section of a raised wooden structure. Inside, the mummified remains of tribal leaders are laid out in a row on a platform. A small carved figure sits at the end of the platform, acting as a guardian for the deceased. Below the structure, a lone figure tends to a small fire, a detail that suggests the ongoing maintenance of the site. De Bry utilised fine, precise lines to render the textures of the woven reed walls and the wooden supports, creating a sense of architectural order.

It is important to note that de Bry never visited the Americas himself. He based his engravings on the watercolour sketches produced by John White, who accompanied the 1585 expedition to Roanoke. Consequently, the work reflects a European interpretation of indigenous customs, filtered through the aesthetic conventions of late sixteenth-century printmaking. The cross-hatching and shading techniques employed by de Bry provide a clear, documentary-style representation that was intended to inform European audiences about the cultures encountered in the New World. The print remains a significant example of early ethnographic illustration, capturing a specific historical perspective on the practices of the Secotan people.