Archaeology at Drayton Hall, 2005
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Unearthing the Past, Learning for the Future: Archaeology at Drayton Hall, 2005 By Martha Zierden and Ronald Anthony The Charleston Museum Archaeological Contributions 37 The Charleston Museum April 2006 Prepared for National Trust for Historic Preservation Drayton Hall Abstract A second season of archaeological testing was conducted by The Charleston Museum under grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Additional testing was conducted at locus 22, building upon results of the 2003 testing program and the 2004 ground penetrating radar survey. Excavation of 29 units in the lawn northwest of the main house revealed additional post stains, interpreted as dwellings for enslaved African Americans. The testing also revealed the remains of two brick foundations. The first, measuring approximately 24’ by 44’, is interpreted as a barn. Only a portion of the second building was revealed, but it also appears to be non-domestic. Artifacts recovered from the site span the 18th century and first quarter of the 19th century. Excavations were conducted by students enrolled in the Archaeological Field School at the College of Charleston, co-directed by Barbara Borg (College of Charleston), Martha Zierden and Ronald Anthony of The Charleston Museum. ii Table of Contents Foreword . viii Chapter I: Introduction . 1 The Charleston Museum Project . 2 Research Topics . 4 Previous Research . 6 Archaeology and Historic Preservation . 7 Chapter II: Project Setting . 9 Site Description . 9 Development of City and Countryside . 11 Development of Drayton Hall . 14 Post-Revolutionary Prosperity . 17 The Civil War and Aftermath . 21 Post-War Changes . 22 Chapter III: Fieldwork . 25 General Field Methods . 25 Fieldwork . 29 Chapter IV: Analysis of the Materials . 41 Laboratory Methods . 41 Analysis . 42 The Artifact Assemblage . 43 Prehistoric Artifacts . 58 Chapter V: Interpretations . 62 The Built Environment . 63 Site Function and Artifact Patterning . 70 Landscape Patterning . 75 Analysis of Colonoware . 79 Summary and Interpretations . 87 References . 91 iii List of Figures 1. View of Drayton Hall from Locus 22 . 1 2. Remote sensing by General Engineering Geophysics . 3 3. Kate McKinley lectures to students and staff . 3 4. Teachers work with field school students . 4 5. Consultation between Trust Senior archaeologist and archaeologists . 7 6. Students interpret site to visitors . 8 7. Topographic map of locus 22 . 9 8. View of Drayton Hall from reflecting pond . 10 9. Crisp map of 1711 . 13 10. 1724 Will of Thomas Drayton . 15 11. Charles Drayton’s 1796 plan of Drayton Hall landscape . 19 12. Lewis Gibbes’ 1840 sketch of the locus 22 area . 20 13. 1886 view of the entry axis . 23 14. View of Drayton Hall and flankers . 24 15. 2005 grid system and 1978 grid established by Lewis . 26 16. Contour map of locus 22 . 27 17. Target map produced by General Engineering Geophysics . 30 18. Feature 46 in N650E250 . 30 19. Feature 91 in N580E275 . 31 20. Views of feature 45 . 32 21. Feature 54. 33 22. Aerial view of feature 45 . 34 23. Composite map, features 45 and 54 . 34 24. N700E200 block, later posts . 35 25. N700E200 block, structural posts . 36 26. N700E200 block, second group of structural posts . 36 27. N700E200 block, earliest features . 36 28. Aerial view of N700E200 block . 37 29. Plan and profile views of feature 52 . 38 30. Excavated features . 38 31. Chinese export porcelain . 45 32. Creamware bowl . 46 33. Examples of coarse earthenwares . 49 34. Brown saltglazed stoneware . 50 35. Late 18th century bottles from feature 45 . 51 36. Medicinal, table glass . 51 37. Pewter spoon bowl . 51 38. Clothing buckles, buttons . 52 39. Glass beads . 53 40. Furniture hardware . 53 iv 41. Tobacco pipes . 54 42. Harness buckles . 54 43. Carriage hardware . 55 44. Worked rib bone . 55 45. Prehistoric lithics . 58 46. Distribution of prehistoric artifacts . 59 47. Aerial view of feature 45/54 . 64 48. Distribution of nails . 64 49. Equestrian artifacts from feature 45/54 . 65 50. Distribution of ceramics . 66 51. Views of structural features . 66 52. Distribution of brick . 67 53. Post hole pattern, N700E200 block . 68 54. Distribution of early ceramics . 69 55. Aerial view of N700E200 block . 70 56. Distribution of total artifacts . ..