Extensive remains of aboriginal dwelling sites and artificial mounds have been known on the Georgia and South Carolina coasts for a good many years. Through the work of several investigators, especially Clarence B. Moore in the coastal area, and William H. Claflin at Stalling's Island in the Savannah River, it has become apparent that some archeological sites in this region have a considerable antiquity and altogether represent a prehistoric occupation continuing tor hundreds and perhaps thousands of years before European contact.
A few years ago the writer and his associates undertook additional work in the area, particularly at the mouth of the Savannah River (Caldwell and McCann, 1941). A number of archaeological sites were excavated, including Deptford, the subject of this report.
An important result of the recent investigation was the establishment of a cultural sequence in the area, largely through the efforts of A. J. Waring, Jr. At present, this is formulated as a succession of prehistoric periods, distinguished and placed in relative chronological order by noting differences in the aboriginal pottery which at certain key sites such as Deptford, lay in stratified deposits, one variety above another. Although each prehistoric period was initially distinguished on the basis of its pottery, this being by far the most abundant artifact of this region, other material culture remains and "culture traits" were associated with most pottery groupings. Thus we are able to define, in most cases, material culture assemblages representative of the people or peoples living in specific localities during particular ceramic periods, and we have a framework within which to examine cultural relationships in terms of historical contemporaneity or succession. This will assist in the eventual understanding of the prehistory of the area, in the identification of the various prehistoric peoples themselves.
The coastal sequence as known today is shown in Figure 2, with the latest manifestations listed at the top.
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