Since the 1980's the underwater team at SCIAA has assisted Dr. Al Goodyear and the South Eastern Paleo-American Survey with underwater investigations of a prehistoric chert quarry in Smiths Lake Creek. In 1999, the MRD launched a side-scan sonar survey of the creek from it's mouth at the Savannah River to the terminus in search of potential chert outcrops. A follow-up sonar survey was conducted by Dr. M. Scott Harris of the Geology Department at the College of Charleston in 2011 to asses the changes in the creek due to storm activity and time as well as to identify any new information regarding outcrops. The Division has also prepared a bathymetric profile of the creek along the Charles and Big Pine archaeological sites. Since 2005, the MRD and diving volunteers have been conducting dredging operations at both the Big Pine and Charles sites for artifacts that have eroded into the creek from terrestrial occupations. This project is one of the largest volunteer-based projects in the state and illustrates the ground-breaking archaeology and science accomplished when professionals and avocationals work together to understand the past.
Related Information
2012. Quarterly Reporter. Vol. 3, Iss. 2. July. Maritime Research Division. South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. University of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina. pp. 1, 4-6.
2011. Quarterly Reporter. Vol. 2, Iss. 2. July. Maritime Research Division. South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. University of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina. pp. 1, 7-10.
2010. Quarterly Reporter. Vol. 1, Iss. 2. July. Maritime Research Division. South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. University of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina. pp. 1-3, 9.
1995. Flotsam and Jetsam. Vol. 6, No. 3. August. Maritime Research Division. South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. University of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina. p. 7.