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Report on the Faunal Material Excavated by West Georgia College from Colonel's Island, Georgia, 1977

Report Number
6105
Year of Publication
2010
County
Abstract

Faunal studies of bone from archaeological sites can provide information on the subsistence activities of the human occupants at the site. From such analysis it is possible to describe adaptations to specific environments. In this study faunal collections from seven sites excavated in 1977 by West Georgia College were examined. These sites were all located on Colonel's Island, on the Georgia coast. Comparison of the Colonel's Island faunal use with subsistence patterns identified from St. Simons Island suggests that a pattern of marsh and tidal creek resource use may have been widespread, even at historic sites. Concentration was placed upon a limited range of species, most of which could be caught at night using intended devices such as traps and trot-lines. Where terrestrial mammals were exploited, these may indicate hunting as an adjunct to gardening rather than a discrete activity.