To learn about archaeology in Georgia, attend this Fall’s meeting of the SGA!
The SGA is proud to announce the presentations we’ll be hearing at the Fall Meeting, on Saturday, October 27th, at the Columbus Museum’s Patrick Theater. Presentations will be during the morning; we’ll tour in the afternoon. There’s a small registration fee for all attendees.
That Dam Job on the Chattahoochee River
Karen G. Wood and W. Dean Wood, Southern Research, Historic Preservation Consultants, Inc.
Two National Historic Landmark mill dams on the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia are being removed to restore the river to a natural state. The Eagle and Phenix dam is 1,000 feet long and 30 feet high. It is located at the fall line between Georgia and Alabama and was constructed in 1882 spanning the Great Gorge of the Chattahoochee River. The City Mills dam, built in 1901, is 500 feet long and 15 feet high and is located one mile upstream. These dams harnessed about ten percent of the estimated 20,000 net horsepower potential of the river. Behind these masonry dams are at least six earlier wooden dams, raceways and numerous other industrial features that date from 1828 to 1869. The work is revealing a continuingly adapting water distribution system that delivered water power to factories allowing Columbus to rank second only to Richmond, Virginia in confederate industrial production. The industrial development of the water power potential at Columbus is distinctive as private investments rather than municipal efforts were employed. Our work is ongoing and includes underwater archaeological surveys before the dams are breached, pedestrian archaeological surveys of the newly exposed river bed, Level One HAER documentation, 3D laser scans, dendrochronology and public history components.
Atlanta Swift Creek
Dylan Woodliff, Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc.
The Dog Wallow Site, 9DA413, located on the South Fork of Peachtree Creek, has yielded a wealth of Middle Woodland ceramics, which have been carefully salvaged by citizens of nearby neighborhoods. The resulting collection of experiences and artifacts represents an affirmation of the value of avocational collectors working alongside professionals, ongoing community stewardship of a well-loved natural and cultural resource, and a remarkable assemblage of Swift Creek Complicated Stamped ceramics. The designs of many of the Swift Creek paddle stamps from Dog Wallow have been reproduced, adding to the growing catalogue of Swift Creek designs. One design in particular exhibits strong stylistic and symbolic similarities with Adena tablature. Cultural and stylistic implications of these designs within the Georgia Piedmont are briefly addressed. Finally, research trajectories for the Dog Wallow Site are charted for the future.
Prehistoric Usage of Quartz Crystals and Clear Quartz
Scot Keith, New South Associates
Quartz crystals and clear quartz artifacts are occasionally found on prehistoric Native American archaeological sites in Georgia. Such items have been found at a variety of sites, from small lithic scatters to large ceremonial sites. In this presentation, I discuss the archaeological contexts of several occurrences of these artifacts and consider them in relation to the ethnohistory regarding southeastern Native American cultures’ usage and beliefs of these materials.
Georgia Archaeology’s Good Friends & the Chattahoochee Legacy of the Columbus Museum
Pamela J. Baughman, GDOT
This presentation will provide a quick overview to recognize some of the individual personalities who have advocated for and contributed to an understanding of Georgia prehistory in the areas of Columbus and the Chattahoochee River Valley. In addition, the sites that have contributed data to Georgia archaeology will be profiled as well as the institution that houses the “legacy” of these sites in its permanent exhibit on regional history.
Singer-Moye, Unknown Prehistoric Gem of the Lower Chattahoochee River Valley
Stefan Brannan and Jessica Cook Hale
Singer-Moye is a large prehistoric site located on Pataula Creek in Stewart County, Georgia, which contains eight mounds and was occupied intermittently for thousands of years. This paper will concentrate on the settlement history of the late prehistoric period (A.D. 1000-1550). I will discuss changes in community organization based on the results from a combination of shallow geophysical and shovel test survey, coupled with the preliminary analysis of ceramics to refine the local chronology in order to distinguish meaningful characteristics from different time periods. The data indicate that Singer-Moye experienced a complex and variable occupational history.
“I Remember, I Believe”—A Documentary of the Avondale Burial Place
Sara Gale, Sharman Southall, and Chad Carlson, GDOT
J.W. Joseph, Hugh B. Matternes, and Valerie Davis, New South Associates
“I Remember, I Believe” is a video documentary of the archaeology of the African American Avondale Burial Place and its descendant community. Prepared by GDOT, New South Associates, and Georgia Public Broadcasting and funded by the FHWA, the 33-minute video will be aired at the SGA Fall Meeting with a brief introduction.
To access a printable version of these abstracts, click here. For all the stories on this SGA meeting, click here.
Where to find it
Click above to go to a larger Google interactive map of the area.
Posted online on Friday, September 28th, 2012