Archeology at the Charles Towne Site

University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina Research Manuscript Series Institute of 5-1971 Archeology at the Charles Towne Site (38CH1) on Albemarle Point in South Carolina, Part I, The exT t Stanley South University of South Carolina - Columbia, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/archanth_books Part of the Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation South, Stanley, "Archeology at the Charles Towne Site (38CH1) on Albemarle Point in South Carolina, Part I, The exT t" (1971). Research Manuscript Series. 204. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/archanth_books/204 This Book is brought to you by the Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina Institute of at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Manuscript Series by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Archeology at the Charles Towne Site (38CH1) on Albemarle Point in South Carolina, Part I, The exT t Keywords Excavations, South Carolina Tricentennial Commission, Colonial settlements, Ashley River, Albemarle Point, Charles Towne, Charleston, South Carolina, Archeology Disciplines Anthropology Publisher The outhS Carolina Institute of Archeology and Anthropology--University of South Carolina Comments In USC online Library catalog at: http://www.sc.edu/library/ This volume constitutes Part I, the text of the report on the archeology done at the Charles Towne Site in Charleston County, South Carolina. A companion to this volume is a volume of over seventy photographs, "Archeology at the Charles Towne Site (38CH1) on Albemarle Point in South Carolina, Part II, The Photographic Study". It should be recognized that, rather than being tied to the text of Part I in the usual cross-referenced manner, Part II can stand alone as a visual record of the archeology done at the Charles Towne Site as reported in Part I, although its format parallels that of Part I and thus has been designed to accompany the written report of the archeology and the results based on it as presented in Part I. This book is available at Scholar Commons: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/archanth_books/204 ARCHEOLOGY AT THE CHARLES TOWNE SITE (38CH1) ON ALBEMARLE POINT IN SOUTH CAROLINA Part I The Text By Stanley South Institute of Archeology and Anthropology University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina May 1971 TABLE OF CONTENTS Part Chapter Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Stanley South •••. 1 1. INTRODUCTION Robert L. Stephenson 5 I HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 2. "WE BUILD OUR TOWNE UPON A POINT OF LAND CALLED ALBEMARLE POINT" •• •.••.••• 24 3. "THE SPANYARD WATCHETH ONELY FOR AN OPPORTUNY TO DESTROY VS" •• .••••••••••• 27 4. "WE WERE FORCED TO GRANT THEM TOWNE LOTTS" • 39 .-: 5. "WE FOUND VERY GREAT ASSISTANCE FROM THE INDIANS".. 48 6. "THE PROVIZZIONS BOUGHT FOR THE EXPEDITION TO I') CAROLINA" ••••.•••••••• 51 7. "PLANTING AND TRADE IS BOTH OUR DESIGNE AND YOUR INTEREST" •.••••.•.•.••••••• 64 "Old Town Plantation" -A Postscript • 68 II ARCHEOLOGY ON ALBEMARLE POINT - THE EXPLORATORY PHASE 8. THE EXPLORATORY PROJECT IN HISTORICAL ARCHEOLOGY .• 70 The Surface Survey of the Albemarle Point Site • 71 9. THE EXPLORATORY EXCAVATION • 75 A Note on Method ....• 75 The Exploratory Archeology • . ... .. 77 The 38CHl-2L Pit . 81 The 38CHl-2N Pit • 81 The 38CHl-2X Fortification Ditch . 82 The 1670 North Fortification and Property Line Ditch, and Palisade Trench ••••• 83 The 38CHl-6 West Fortification Ditch • 85 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Part Chapter tPage The 38CHl-S Post-Vineyard Ditch ••• 86 The Horry-Lucas Plantation House Ruin (38CHI-ll) 86 The Outbuildings for the Lucas Plantation House (38CHl-lO) •••.••••• 87 The Ditch Depression and Cattle Dip Ruin (38CHl-4) ••••••••• 87 Examination of the Area of the "Negro Settlement" of 1836 ..e............... 87 The Ditch to the South of the Waring House 88 Summary • 88 III ARCHEOLOGY ON ALBEMARLE POINT - THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 10. EXCAVATION OF THE 1670 LAND FACE FORTIFICATION DITCH •...••. 90 Introduction 90 The North Fortification Ditch - Description and Method •.•••• 91 The North Ditch Strata 99 The Artifacts from the North Fortification Ditch 101 Indian Pottery 101 European Ceramics from the North Fortification Ditch .................... 106 Glass from the North Fortification Ditch - Wine Bottle ••...• •• •• 106 Musket Balls and Shot •• 107 Gunflints 107 Bandolier Cylinder 108 Tobacco Pipes •••. 110 iii ~ABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter [Page The West Fortification Ditch - Description •• 110 Artifacts from the West Fortification Ditch 112 Interpretive Summary of the West Fortification Ditch ............... 114 Interpretive Summary of the 1670 Land Face Fortification •••.•..• •• 117 The Explanatory Exhibit of the 1670 Land Fortification •.••• 119 11. EXCAVATION OF THE 1670 MAIN FORTIFICATION DITCH 120 Description and Method of Excavation of the Ditch 120 The Artifacts from the Main Fortification Ditch 124 Indian Pottery •. 124 European Ceramics from the Main Fortification Ditch ·· .. 125 Delft .. ... .. .. · · .. 125 Lead-Glazed Earthenware 128 Marbelized Slipware . · · ... 128 Brown Salt-glazed Stoneware 128 Tobacco Pipes - Stems 129 Tobacco Pipes - Bowls 130 Tobacco Pipes - Red Clay 132 Glass Bottles 133 Glass - Pharmaceutical Bottle 133 Glass - Beads 133 Small Metal Artifacts 134 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Part ,Chapter Page Gunf1ints and Fire-flints • • 136 Iron Artifacts • 138 Brick Fragments ••••• 138 Midden Material • 13.8 Baked Clay Objects • • 139 Interpretive Summary of the Main Fortification Ditch .... ........ 139 The Explanatory Exhibit of the Main Fortification Ditch ••••••••• •. 142 IV ARCHEOLOGY ON ALBEMARLE POINT - THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 12. EXCAVATION OF THE ARTILLERY REDOUBT IN FRONT OF THE MAIN FORT DITCH •••• 144 The Method of Excavating the Redoubt Ditch ••.•• 146 The Artifacts from the Redoubt Ditch - Indian Pottery .• •• 147 European Ceramics •• 147 Tobacco Pipes . .• 148 Glass Bottles •• • 149 Small Metal Artifacts • • 149 Iron Artifacts from the Artillery Redoubt • • 150 Mortar and Stone from the Redoubt Ditch ••• · 152 Summary of the Artifacts from the Artillery Redoubt • 152 Interpretive Summary of the Artillery Redoubt •••. 153 The Redoubt as an Original Feature of the Charles Towne Fort of 1670 .••••• 154 The Redoubt as a Feature Built by the British During the Siege of Charleston in 1780 .••••••• 158 v LTABLE OF CONTENTS '-Part Chapter Page The Explanatory Exhibit of the Redoubt at Charles Towne ........... .. .. .. 161 A Summary of the Fortification Features on Albemarle Point .• •• ••••• 162 13. EXPLORATORY EXCAVATION AT THE SITE OF THE HORRY-LUCAS PLANTATION HOUSE RUIN • •• •• ••.. 165 Summary of the Artifacts from the Horry-Lucas Ruin ....... 168 The Area of the "Negro Settlement" of 1836 171 14. THE EXPLORATORY EXCAVATIONS OF JOHN MILLER ON THE CHARLES TOWNE SITE ••••.•••• 172 Summary of the Work of John Miller at Charles Towne •••••••••••••• 176 15. EXCAVATION OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TAR KILNS ON ALBEMARLE POINT •••••.•••••• 178 The Tar Kiln to the North of the Charles Towne Fort (38CHl-203) ••••.•••••• 178 The Tar Kiln on the Exhibit Pavilion Site (38CHl-232) 180 Interpretive Description of the Operation of a Tar Kiln •••..••• •. 184 V ARCHEOLOGY ON ALBEMARLE POINT - THE EARLY INDIAN OCCUPATION 16. EARLY INDIAN OCCUPATION ON ALBEMARLE POINT 189 Baked Clay Objects from Charles Towne - The Perforated, Grooved Melon-shaped Type 193 The Perforated Biscuit Form of Baked Clay Object from Charles Towne •••.•••••• 194 Function of the Baked Clay Objects from Charles Towne .. ....... 196 The Time and Space Relationships of the Charles Towne Baked Clay Objects ••.• 198 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Part Chapter Page Summary of the Baked Clay Objects from the Charles Towne Site ••••••. 201 IV ARCHEOLOGY ON ALBEMARLE POINT - THE INDIAN CEREMONIAL CENTER 17. EXCAVATION OF THE INDIAN CEREMONIAL CENTER A~ THE CHARLES TOWNE SITE ••••••••••••• 202 The Architectural Features on the Site of the Ceremonial Center - The Main Ceremonial Compound. 203 The Indian Temple in the Center of the Ceremonial Compound • •.• •••••• •• .• 204 Ceremonial Sheds Inside the Palisaded Compound . 207 The Secondary Palisaded Enclosure 209 Burials from Inside the Ceremonial Center. • 211 Features from the Ceremonial Center at Charles Towne 215 Artifacts from the Ceremonial Center . 219 Pottery from the Ceremonial Center •• 220 Rim Treatment on the Pottery from the Ceremonial Center .• •. •• ••••.• 223 Artifacts from Features 234 and 237, North of ,the Ceremonial Center •••• ..•• 225 Feature 234 225 Features 235 and 237 • 226 Clay Pipes from Feature 237 227 Pottery from Feature 237 ••• 227 Ashley Simple Stamped Pottery 229 Interpretive Summary of the Ceramic Periods Represented at the Charles Towne Indian Site ••• 230 L vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Part Chapter Page Interpretive Summary of the Artifacts Represented at the Charles Towne Indian Site •.••.•.•. 235 Temporal Position of the Charles Towne Indian Site. 241 Radiocarbon Dates from the Ceremonial Center • 243 Summary 245 The Barn Complex on the Site of the Ceremonial Center -A Nineteenth Century Postscript 246 BIBLIOGRAPHY •. 249 1 1 viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In carrying out the archeological field work in the first phase of the project at Charles Towne the association with John Combes, Assistant Director of the Institute, was a most valuable one. Of considerable value during the project was the documentary research help provided by Mrs. Agnes Baldwin and her daughter Susan. During

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