Visiting archaeology

I am an archaeologist. As part of my job, I get to visit archaeological sites throughout South Carolina. The location of archaeological sites is often not made public to protect these non-renewable resources. But there are a number of ways to visit archaeology in South Carolina.

Excavating at the Kolb Site

A number of state parks such as Charles Town Landing and Hampton Plantation State Historic Sites have conducted archaeology or have on-going archaeology projects that you can check out. Historic plantations also conduct archaeology. For instance, archaeologists at Drayton Hall are studying the material culture of the generations of Drayton families who have lived on the property. Archaeology is also providing information about the lives of Historic Native Americans and 20th century freedmen.  The Johannes Kolb Archaeology Project has an annual spring dig in which volunteers are encouraged to participate and visitors are encouraged to check out the site on their public day.

In Columbia, Jake Crockett, with Historic Columbia Foundation, has been conducting research at Mann-Simons on Richland Street. Mann-Simons was a collection of commercial and domestic spaces owned and operated by the same African-American family from at least 1843 until 1970. Following extensive archaeological investigation at the site, the landscape is currently being renovated to reflect the late 19th- and early 20th-century use of the site by the entrepreneurial Mann and Simons families. Interpretation will include the location and use of multiple structures that once stood adjacent to the cottage through the installation of skeleton structures and wayside interpretative signage highlighting the multifunctional use of this African-American garden. So go out and check it out.

Firing Pots at Fall Field Day 2011

Fall Field Day 2011

Another way to visit archaeology is Archaeology Field Day. The Archaeological Society of South Carolina (ASSC) is an association of professional and avocational archaeologists and concerned citizens uniting together in a cooperative effort to understand the prehistory and history of South Carolina. There are a number of chapters who do regional activities as well as society-wide activities such as the annual conference and Fall Field Day. Field Day is a fun way for families to learn about archaeology in South Carolina. From activities such as sand box digs, living history demonstrations making stone tools and firing pottery, an artifact ID tent, and lectures. 

Now that I've encouraged you to visit archaeological sites, I have to say: don't forget to respect the site. Don't remove stones or pottery sherds that you may find. The pieces that are in an archaeological site are an integral part of that site and as insignificant as they may seem, the information they provide may be invaluable.