Survey and Mitigation of the South End Site (9CH155), Ossabaw Island, Georgia

As a Heritage Preserve, Ossabaw Island is not subject to the threat of development; however, parts of the island are in danger due to sea level rise and rapid erosion. The erosion on the South End (9CH155) (Fig. 1.1) was first noted in 1978 and current estimates suggest that there is up to 70 cm of erosional loss on the creek edge annually (McCabe, personal communication). At the time of this project, large portions of the South End’s upland bluff were falling into Newell Creek, including portions of Late Prehistoric burials. As such, the active loss of the site became a primary concern and focus of University of Georgia’s (UGA) 2014 field season. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division (GDNR HPD), contacted Victor D. Thompson at the UGA to assist in the mitigation of the Newell Creek bank in anticipation of the future construction of a new barge landing at the site and the possibility of the construction of a “living shoreline” to slow bank erosion and minimize the loss of further archaeological resources. estuaries, and rivers (DePratter and Thompson 2013; Thompson, et al. 2013; Turck 2011:210-211; Turck and Alexander 2013). Extending from the Savannah River to the Altamaha River, the region presents researchers with a distinctive chance to study the intricate relationships that humans had with their environment. In some cases, past uses of the landscape create legacy effects that continue to influence present ecosystems (Thompson, et al. 2013). Following initial contact by GDNR HPD, the 2014 fieldwork was specifically designed so that UGA research concerns meshed with the land management and research needs of GDNR HPD. This reciprocal relationship has allowed for an even exchange of resources and knowledge to directly address GDNR HPD’s mission for research, education, preservation, and conservation of Ossabaw. As a team, UGA and GDNR HPD archaeologists also worked in cooperation with members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. In addition, UGA and GDNR HPD liaised with the Ossabaw Island Foundation so that the unique scientific events of the ongoing project could be shared with the public.