Cattle In Charleston And South Carolina's Lowcountry

Summary

When colonists settled Carolina in the late 17th century they encountered a bountiful land.  They immediately planted cattle, that thrived in the pinewoods, canebreaks, and marshes of the lowcountry.  Most of these cattle were raised under free-range conditions.  Three decades of archaeological research in Charleston, South Carolina, show that the flourishing cattle herds influenced the city's economy and diet. Measurements of cattle bones and analysis of recovered horn cores indicate that the lineage of these cattle was diverse. Charleston cattle had a wide range of body sizes, and did not conform to a standard modern breed. Archaeological and documentary evidence suggests this diversity derives in part from the mixing of animals from Spanish Florida with English stock through raids, trade, and the capture of feral cattle.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017   •
• Honoring Cowtown: Cattle Husbandry in Historical Zooarchaeology

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 133