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How To Identify South Carolina Indian Artifacts

South Carolina was settled by Native American tribes long before the arrival of Columbus. These people hunted, gathered and tended small farms along the rivers and valleys of South Carolina, leaving behind a variety of artifacts for future generations to discover. There are several ways to determine whether a strange item you found in South Carolina is an actual Indian artifact.

Things You'll Need

  • Field guides
  • Maps
  • A computer with Internet access (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Instructions

    • 1

      Study and research. Spend some time researching the Indian tribes that lived in the area of present-day South Carolina where you have found or are looking for artifacts. Tribes that lived in South Carolina included the Cherokee, the Catawba, the Creek and the Yuchi. The Cusabo, Edisto and various Siouan bands such as the Chicora, PeeDee, Waccamaw and Santee also occupied lands in the state.

    • 2

      Determine where the artifact was found. Carefully recording the location can help in identifying it and estimating its age. Many artifacts are found along stream beds or other water sources since South Carolina Indians tended to form settlements near permanent water sources.

    • 3

      Identify the material the artifact is crafted from. Arrowheads were commonly carved from obsidian or flint and will show distinct chipping marks along the edges. Some artifacts are made of clay and may be painted. Other items may be made of bone or shell.

    • 4

      Use a field guide. Field guides can help determine if the artifact you found appears to be an authentic Indian artifact. Guide books can be purchased online or checked out of a local library.

    • 5

      Bring your artifact to an expert. If you don't have access to a field guide or cannot find your piece in the ones you have, take it to an expert for identification. An expert can be a local archeology professor, a museum curator or a collector.

    • 6

      If you want to determine the exact age of your artifact you can have it carbon-dated. This process can be used for artifacts made of clay, bone or shell. For flint or obsidian tools or weapons a method known as hydration is used in which a small piece of the object is removed and the amount of water it has absorbed is measured. However, if you wish to have your artifact dated using one of these methods there may be a charge for the service.


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