Archaeology Program - College of Charleston

Congratulations, Martha!

The J.C. Harrington Medal in Historical Archaeology is presented for a lifetime of contributions to the discipline centered in scholarship. We are proud to present the 2022 Harrington Medal to Martha Zierden for her lifetime of scholarship and community engagement in Charleston, South Carolina.

CofC Looks Back on 2021

Archaeological excavation makes it to the College's "Year in Review"

https://today.cofc.edu/2021/12/29/cofc-looks-back-on-2021/

CofC Looks Back on 2021 From launching two new majors to starting a new era in basketball, from welcoming the largest ever incoming freshman class to uncovering one of the top archaeological discoveries of the year, from creating more opportunities for equity and inclusion to building a new future for the School of the Art...

'Archaeology Magazine' Names Slave Tag Found at CofC Among Top 10 Discoveries of 2021

Students and faculty find artifact on campus that ranks in the top 10 for 2021. CofClcwa Archaeology Magazine

https://today.cofc.edu/2021/12/06/archaeology-magazine-cofc-slave-tag-top-10-discoveries-of-2021/

'Archaeology Magazine' Names Slave Tag Found at CofC Among Top 10 Discoveries of 2021 As soon as the cool metal of the dusty diamond shaped object hit his hand, College of Charleston classical archaeology professor Jim Newhard felt a tingle of excitement. “I knew what I had been handed pretty instantaneously and I went into a poker-face,” recalls Newhard, director of the

Solar Pavilion Unveiling Shines Light on Enslaved, Indigenous People

Solar Pavilion Unveiling Shines Light on Enslaved, Indigenous People The unveiling of a new solar shade pavilion at the College of Charleston on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, served as a platform to honor the Indigenous and enslaved people who labored and lived on and near the site throughout history. The event, titled “Uncovering History/Making History,” recognized

College of Charleston opens new pavilion where enslaved people once labored

College of Charleston opens new pavilion where enslaved people once labored The new installation is part of a larger effort both to reduce the campus' carbon footprint and to better record and share its history, making the school a more welcoming

CofC to Pay Tribute to Enslaved and Indigenous People at Unveiling of New Solar Pavilion

CofC to Pay Tribute to Enslaved and Indigenous People at Unveiling of New Solar Pavilion Above: A slave tag from 1853 (left) was found last spring during an excavation for the installation of a new solar pavilion (right) near Rivers Green. The College of Charleston campus community is invited to attend an unveiling for a new solar shade pavilion near Rivers

Starting today and continuing throughout October the @maritimeresearchdivision, @warrenlasch_conservation_ctr, and @archaeologycofc will undertake excavations at the remains of the USS Housatonic sunk by the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley on the night of 17 February 1864 during the American Civil War. Research will focus on the blast damage caused by the Hunley torpedo and life aboard the Union blockader. The investigation will build on earlier excavations undertaken by the Naval History and Heritage Command, National Park Service, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, and Friends of the Hunley in 1999. The project is partially funded by the Hunley Commission. Following posts will provide updates on project activities and results.

Image: Contemporary pencil drawing of the Hunley torpedo explosion under the Union blockader Housatonic off Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

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Metal badge found at College of Charleston illuminates history of urban slavery

Metal badge found at College of Charleston illuminates history of urban slavery Archaeology students discovered a 19th-century kitchen and hearth, along with various objects such as pottery shards, food waste and a glass bottle. The prize discovery, though, was a slave badge

This Rare Copper Badge Tells a Story of Slavery in 19th-Century Charleston

This Rare Copper Badge Tells a Story of Slavery in 19th-Century Charleston The South Carolina city used the metal tags to identify enslaved people hired out as part-time laborers by their enslavers

CofC Faculty, Students Discover Slave Badge on Campus

CofC Faculty, Students Discover Slave Badge on Campus The recent discovery of an 1853 slave badge on the College of Charleston campus has offered a profound opportunity to recognize the contributions of the enslaved people who were an integral part of the development of the institution. CofC students and faculty discovered the badge labeled "servant" d...

Archaeology Comes to Life at the College of Charleston

Experiential learning, between classes!

Archaeology Comes to Life at the College of Charleston It’s a beautiful spring day on campus as College of Charleston junior Robbie Ferrell carefully brushes away bits of dirt from some bricks. His work is revealing more and more of a mid-19th-century structure located just below the surface of the dirt at a site adjacent to Rivers Green. This anthrop...

Virtual Pompeii – Tesseract

Interesting stuff

Virtual Pompeii – Tesseract

“Who Were the Ancient Greek Sculptors in Clay? Insights from their Fingerprints.” AIA-SC lecture, 10/15/20, Dr. Julie Hruby

“Who Were the Ancient Greek Sculptors in Clay? Insights from their Fingerprints.” AIA-SC lecture, 10/15/20, Dr. Julie Hruby Please join the AIA-South Carolina Society for a lecture by Dr. Julie Hruby, Dartmouth College, on 10/15/2020 at 7:00 pm. Dr. Hruby will share insights from fingerprint analysis on Greek ceramics: …

Dozens of curse tablets found down a 2,500-year-old well in Athens

Dozens of curse tablets found down a 2,500-year-old well in Athens ***

Is human consciousness evolving? What about other species?

Tombs at Ancient Greek Site Were Gold-Lined Chambers

Recent news from Pylos.

Tombs at Ancient Greek Site Were Gold-Lined Chambers The burial structures were looted during antiquity, but beads and a pendant depicting Hathor, an Egyptian goddess, suggest earlier trade links between Pylos, Greece, and Egypt.

Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck Excavation

Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck Excavation Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck ExcavationFor a complete list of INA projects > SEE MOREWHAT: BRONZE AGE INGOT CARRIER | WHERE: TURKEY | EXCAVATION: 2019-PRESENT | DATE OF WRECK: 16TH - 15TH (?) C. B.C. Virazon II at Cape Gelidonya During the summer of 2019, a small team of INA archaeologists directed....

Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck Excavation

Do I see CofC alumnus John Littlefield in the team photo? Why yes. Yes I do. Exciting stuff!

Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck Excavation Kumluca Bronze Age Shipwreck ExcavationFor a complete list of INA projects > SEE MOREWHAT: BRONZE AGE INGOT CARRIER | WHERE: TURKEY | EXCAVATION: 2019-PRESENT | DATE OF WRECK: 16TH - 15TH (?) C. B.C. Virazon II at Cape Gelidonya During the summer of 2019, a small team of INA archaeologists directed....

Sediment Cores from White Pond, South Carolina, contain a Platinum Anomaly, Pyrogenic Carbon Peak, and Coprophilous Spore Decline at 12.8 ka

Congrats to Dr. Harris!

Sediment Cores from White Pond, South Carolina, contain a Platinum Anomaly, Pyrogenic Carbon Peak, and Coprophilous Spore Decline at 12.8 ka A widespread platinum (Pt) anomaly was recently documented in Greenland ice and 11 North American sedimentary sequences at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) event (~12,800 cal yr BP), consistent with the YD Impact Hypothesis. We report high-resolution analyses of a 1-meter section of a lake co...

Archaeologist Ranks Among Best Jobs of 2019

Archaeology!

Archaeologist Ranks Among Best Jobs of 2019 See how archaeologist stacks up against other occupations.

Editorial: Before big digs, an archaeology ordinance could save Charleston's history

This. It is not the first time that this issue has been raised...

Editorial: Before big digs, an archaeology ordinance could save Charleston's history With much of Charleston’s City Market about to be dug up, City Council needs to pass an archaeology ordinance to prevent the remains of the city’s past from being unceremoniously

The richly appointed grave of the so-called Griffin Warrior, discovered at the site of Pylos in Greece, is challenging archaeologists’ assumptions about interactions between the Bronze Age Minoan and Mycenaean cultures.

archaeology.org/issues/352-september-october-2019/features/7900-greece-pylos-mycenaean-warrior-grave

(Chronis Papanikolopoulos/Courtesy of the Department of Classics, University of Cincinnati)

Fascinating indigo processing site on Johns Island.

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/indigo-is-long-gone-as-an-sc-cash-crop-but/article_395137ee-96af-11e9-ac0d-abac04e4e41e.html

Revolutionary War shipwrecks near Yorktown getting their first good look in years

We worked on the Yorktown many years ago as undergraduates. Great to see them back in the water!

Revolutionary War shipwrecks near Yorktown getting their first good look in years Last week, for the first time in nearly three decades, archaeologists slipped into the murky York to assess what’s left of the Lost Fleet at Yorktown, a British convoy sent

Archaeological Field Schools at Newport Site - News - Anthropology - IUP

Archaeological Field Schools at Newport Site - News - Anthropology - IUP Anthropology professors will teach basic and advanced archaeological field schools July 8–August 16, 2019. The field schools are also open to non-IUP students.

A long-lost shipwreck was found by accident as NOAA tested equipment

A long-lost shipwreck was found by accident as NOAA tested equipment The hull of a ship, still sheathed in copper, and the numbers "2109" on a rudder suddenly appeared in the depths of the abyss.

The Skeleton In My Closet

An interesting article on the strains between anthropology, classics, and the pursuit of Archaeology. At the College of Charleston, we see Archaeology as a pursuit in which many disciplines participate and who play well together, giving students excellent skills that cross many disciplines across many programs at the College! https://eidolon.pub/the-skeleton-in-my-closet-2bd7ef407eac?gi=174168244ede

The Skeleton In My Closet When Roman Bioarchaeology Is A Dead End Job

INA Archaeologists to Participate in Excavation of Newly Discovered Bronze Age Shipwreck

Excited to hear about this - especially excited that John Littlefield ('07) is part of the team!

INA Archaeologists to Participate in Excavation of Newly Discovered Bronze Age Shipwreck INA Archaeologists to Participate in Excavation of Newly Discovered Bronze Age Shipwreck Posted on May 29, 2019Almost 60 years ago, INA Founder George Bass pioneered the field of nautical archaeology with his excavation of a Late Bronze Age shipwreck at Cape Gelidonya, Turkey. A quarter-century late...

See email at bottom if you are interested:

Archaeological Field Technicians Needed: $165-$230 per day + overtime; $50 per diem; single occupancy lodging; reimbursed mileage and expenses

DESCO Environmental Consultants, LP is actively seeking several Archaeological Technicians for large-scale projects in Louisiana. These are limited-term positions, where work weeks are determined by project demands and time constraints, however, DESCO foresees the demand for these positions for the next 3-4 months. Candidate responsibilities include but are not limited to:



Participates in cultural resource field investigations inclusive of pedestrian surveys augmented by shovel testing, NRHP eligibility testing, data recovery, and resource inventories;
Assists in site identification, and in archaeological and historic resource documentation and recordation;
Accurately prepares daily field journals, shovel test forms, site and feature forms, trench and test unit forms, and monitoring forms as appropriate. Must be able to draw detailed unit profiles and plan view sketches;
Able to excavate shovel test pits, screen soils and provide accurate descriptions of soil matrices; use digital cameras and maintain accurate photo log; and perform post-field data processing of artifacts and field documentation;
Professionally communicates with peers and field leads, as well as capable of receiving direction from supervisors;
Attends mandatory prefield Health and Safety meetings daily;
This position may also require periodic contributions in the completion of archaeological and historic resource site forms, narrative site descriptions for compliance documentation, and research;
Other duties as assigned.


Minimum Qualifications

B.A. or B.S. in anthropology, archaeology, or history from an accredited university, plus one or more of the following:
-Successful completion of a documented archaeological field school; or

-6 months of full-time professional CRM experience.

· Flexibility to travel overnight, including out of state travel, for up to 3+ weeks at a time;

· Experience with standard compass and tape. Familiarity with topographic maps and aerial photographic imagery a plus;

Knowledge of and experience with Trimble GPS systems and software, data collectors, and/or Total Station is preferred;
Candidate must be physically able to work in harsh, outdoor environments that include but are not limited to uneven terrain, inundated elements (bayous, marshes, floodplains), and variable weather conditions such as extreme heat, cold, moisture, or dryness.
Position requires frequent repetitive bending and stooping, standing/walking, and lifting of up to 40 pounds; occasionally working with arms above shoulder level; working at heights; performing repetitive or fine hand movements; working in a construction environment around heavy equipment; operation of company vehicles; performing work in confined spaces; working alone in isolated/remote areas; and/or performing keyboard/mouse operations. Position may require wearing associated personal protective equipment, including safety glasses/goggles, gloves, safety shoes/boots, hard hat, long-sleeve shirts, and tick guards.
Previous Basic and/or Wilderness First Aid and CPR Training a plus;
Valid driver’s license and clean driving record, no exceptions;
Must pass a State and Federal criminal history/security background check;
Must pass pre-employment drug screen;
U.S. Citizenship required.




Preferred Qualifications



General familiarity with cultural resource management protocols and processes, including Section 106 and NEPA compliance, is helpful to understanding cultural resource management.
Experience with conducting laboratory analysis of either prehistoric or historic material


Compensation

DESCO will pay a rate of $165.00 to $230.00 per day, commensurate with experience, plus overtime. DESCO will cover single occupancy lodging, pay a per diem of $50 per day, and reimburse project-related mileage and expenses.

Qualified applicants, please send resumes to Ashley Chapman, Principal Investigator at:
[email protected]

At the College of Charleston today in the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs award ceremony, we recognized three of our amazing archaeology students! Allie Davis, Hannah James, and Carolyn Dorey!

Pioneering Women in Archaeology

Pioneering Women in Archaeology A handful of some of the most awesome women from the early days of archaeology.

First Confirmed Denisovan Skull Piece Found

First Confirmed Denisovan Skull Piece Found A fragment of a hominin skull adds to the sparse collection from our obscure cousins.

Revolutionary War fighting ended in 1781. The last shots exploded 2 months ago in Richmond.

Revolutionary War hand grenades, The Betsy, Yorktown, and explosions

Revolutionary War fighting ended in 1781. The last shots exploded 2 months ago in Richmond. In an uh-oh episode of historic proportions, hand grenades from the last major battle of the Revolutionary War recently and repeatedly scrambled bomb squads in...