This week we are diving into South Carolina archaeology and prehistory. SC Humanities Executive Director and amateur archaeologist Randy Akers offers his favorite archaeology book to dig into while social distancing. Don't forget to join us on
Thursday, April 9 at 12:00 PM for a
Facebook Watch Party of "The Ring People," a 30-minute documentary produced by Koelker & Associates and supported by SC Humanities. Representatives from the SC Department of Natural Resources will be in the live chat offering behind-the-scenes information and answering questions.
What can we learn through South Carolina archaeology?
The Prehistory of South Carolina is discussed in 8 lessons with Dr. Walter Edgar on KnowItAll.org.
South Carolina from A to Z:
"I" is for Indian Mounds
Dotting South Carolina’s streams and rivers are vestiges of her prehistoric past. These mounds, built between C.E. 1200 and 1500, were ceremonial, cultural, or administrative in nature and at times were associated with villages and burials.
The Inevitable Evolution of Fort Frederick
Supported by a Major Grant from SC Humanities, archaeological excavations, tabby restoration, and public tours at Fort Frederick Heritage Preservetook place throughout the winter of 2014 – 2015 and were documented through a series of short films. In addition to the films, there are lesson plans, a cultural resources vocabulary list, and a survey available on the DNR website.
Book Drop with Randy Akers
Archaeology in South Carolina edited by Adam King
As an amateur archaeologist who dug Roman period remains in Israel for 25 years, I of course have to recommend Archeology in South Carolina edited by Adam King, USC Press, 2016. This amazing volume, featuring our state’s leading archeologists, reads like a series of short stories tracing the rich cultural and social history of our state from before the last Ice Age, to Native American presence, to European influences which led to the colony and state of South Carolina. Other articles illuminate South Carolina during the Civil War—plantation life as well as the famous Hunley submarine. Personally I was fascinated visiting the Topper site near Allendale, which may contain remains from the earliest humans in North America, and the Santa Elena site on Parris Island, the first Spanish capital in the new world. This book is well written for the lay person interested in South Carolina history, as well as the professional archaeologist and historian.
On Thursday, April 9th at 12:00 PM, the SC Humanities Facebook page will host a Facebook Watch Party for The Ring People, a 30-minute documentary about ancient shell structures on the coast of South Carolina. SC Humanities supported The Ring People with a Major Grant. Special thanks to Koelker & Associates for making this happen!
