An Intensive Cultural Resource Assessment Survey of the Sheffield Island Parcel, Camden County, Georgia

From March through June of 2007, Bland & Associates, Inc. (BAI) conducted an intensive cultural resource assessment survey of the 227-acre at Sheffield Island parcel, in Camden County, Georgia. The investigation was performed on behalf of Georgia Land Investments LLC, to comply with federal and state regulations regarding the identification and management of historic properties that might occur within the project tract. The goals of this project were to locate, identify, delineate, and evaluate cultural resources within the tract. All cultural resources within the project tract were evaluated for significance and to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). No historic structures or previously recorded cultural resources occur within the project tract. As a result of fieldwork, 719 forty-centimeter square shovel tests were excavated, resulting in the discovery of four archaeological sites and four, subsurface, Isolated Finds (IF-1 through IF-4). These Isolated Finds are recommended ineligible for inclusion in the NRHP, and no further archaeological investigation or preservation of them is recommended. The archaeological sites which were found within the current project tract consist of small, very low density, archaeological sites containing Woodland and Mississippian period prehistoric components (sherds) and chert debitage. Each site was extensively delineated with reduced interval shovel tests. Based upon the absence of intact occupational strata, the lack of artifact concentrations as demonstrated through extensive delineation testing, the sparse nature of the artifact assemblage recovered thus far, the extensive disturbances these sites have sustained, and the work already conducted, there does not appear to be a potential for future research at four sites to generate significant data. These sites failed to demonstrate the integrity, distinction, or research potential meeting the criteria listed in Title 36, Part 60 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. They are recommended ineligible for inclusion in the NRHP, and no further archaeological investigation or preservation is recommended. Although the recorded location and boundaries of these sites have provided useful data for the development of regional settlement studies, it is recommended that this project be allowed to proceed as planned without further concern for impacts to significant cultural resources. In summary, it is recommended that this project be allowed to proceed as planned without further concern for impacts to significant cultural resources. Although no significant cultural resources were recorded during the present investigation, this work will add to the current knowledge of aboriginal and historic settlement of Camden County. These results can be integrated into a broadscale and comprehensive regional settlement model aimed at the prediction of prehistoric and historic site locations within Camden County.