"A melancholy scene of abandonment, desolation, and ruin:"The Archaeological Record of the Upper Ashley River Region of South Carolina
Author(s): Larry James; Ralph Bailey; Charles F. Phillips Jr.
Year: 2016
Summary
The Upper Ashley River region of South Carolina is characterized by cypress swamps that form a relatively straight, narrow river that flows unimpeded to Charleston. This landscape provided the ideal location for early estates of the planter elite in the eighteenth century. These Carolinians developed the rice and indigo plantation culture of the Lowcountry. The region became the crossroads of many historical events including the development of rice cultivation, Native American trade and uprisings, slave rebellions, and the civil unrest related to the American Revolution. By the 1840s, however, these once grand estates were in decline, described by one observer as a scene of melancholy abandonment. In this paper we will explore this history through archaeological research,highlighting a watershed that includes a Historic District, a National Scenic and Historic Byway, a State Scenic River, a National Historic Landmark, a National Trust property, and dozens of sites, ruins, buildings, and cemeteries.
Cite this Record
"A melancholy scene of abandonment, desolation, and ruin:"The Archaeological Record of the Upper Ashley River Region of South Carolina. Larry James, Ralph Bailey, Charles F. Phillips Jr.. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434277)
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Keywords
General
Ashley River
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Inland Rice
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Plantation
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
17th through 19th century
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 193