Archaeological Survey of Priests Landing, Skidaway Island, Georgia

This report is a revised version of a draft report on the Phase I archaeological survey investigations conducted to identify all cultural resources within the proposed 20-acre Skidaway Island Yachting Venue facility at Priests Landing, Chatham County, Georgia (Elliott and Holland 1994). This electronic version was produced in 2009. This study was conducted by the firm of Garrow & Associates, Inc. under contract with Kemron Environmental Services, Inc. The field study was conducted June 26 through 28, 1994. The study area was covered by 88 shovel tests placed on a 20 m interval shovel test grid. A portion of the study area was covered with pavement and recent fill dirt and could not be examined by shovel test. Forty-eight tests contained cultural materials. Two previously unrecorded archaeological sites, 9Ch797 and 9Ch798, were defined by the survey. Site 9Ch797 is a large multi-component site that contains Woodland, Mississippian, and eighteenth- and nineteenth century historic components. The site is blanketed by an oyster shell midden that varies in thickness and compaction. Site 9Ch797 is considered to be potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and additional testing or avoidance of the site is recommended. Site 9Ch798 contains a low density scatter of non-diagnostic aboriginal pottery and oyster shell. The artifacts on 9Ch798 were extremely sparse and in a shallow deposit and have poor integrity. The site has no additional research value and is considered ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places. A research plan for testing Site 9Ch797 is presented in this report.