Historic Mineral Industries of Georgia: Contexts and Prospects for Archaeology

Summary

Although Georgia is usually viewed as an agricultural state, it contains numerous economically significant minerals, many of which were extracted and/or processed on a large scale. To better understand these industries and their archaeological correlates, and to assist in evaluating their significance, Georgia Department of Transportation sponsored a historical context that described the development of mining and quarrying in the state. Among these industries, crushed stone was important in the Lithonia-Stone Mountain area east of of Atlanta. While early production focused on dressed stone, the quality of the material ultimately required quarrymen to seek new markets. They found these in the expansion of highway construction, harbor and oceanfront development, and the growth of industrial poultry farming, among others. Crushed stone production also led to changes in the organization and technology of quarries. This paper summarizes the Lithonia-area industry to illustrate an approach toward understanding the archaeology of Georgia’s mineral resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeologies of Mining and Industry   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-81,01