The reality of the city : urban archaeology at the Telfair site, Savannah, Georgia

Authors

Nicholas Honerkamp
R. Bruce Council
H. Charles Fairbanks

Files

Abstract

Results of intensive archaeological testing/data recovery program at the Telfair Site in downtown Savannah, Georgia, are described. Located within the Savannah National Historic Landmark District, the site consists of 2 trust and 10 tything lots that will be affected by an urban renewal project. Using both documentary and archaeological data, contrasts in land use patterns between trust and tything lots from 1733 to c. 1900 were outlined. Trust lots were identified as locations for centralizing functions attributed to religious, commercial, and governmental concerns, while tything parcels initially contained domestic occupations. Combined residence-business establishments began to appear after 1850, resultingA-n accelerated subdivisioning of tything lots, a reduction in open space, and a concomitant clustering of features (wells, privies, etc.). Formal on-site refuse disposal is indicated until the introduction of basic municipal services in the 1850-1900 period. Despite a heavy retail business component at the site, artifact assemblages overwhelmingly reflect domestic activities. Zooarchaeological analysis indicates that the faunal assemblage conforms to the previously-defined Coastal Subsistence Model in terms of resource utilization and butchering practices. Finally, several recommendations are presented concerning future research at Savannah and other urban sites.

Department

Dept. of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Date

1983

Subject

Historic sites -- Georgia -- Savannah; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Georgia -- Savanah

Location

Telfair Site (Savannah, Ga.); General Services Administration building site; Savannah (Ga.) -- Antiquities

Document Type

reports

Extent

vii, 237 leaves

Language

English

Call Number

F294.S2 H66 1983

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Recommended Citation

Honerkamp, Nicholas; Council, R. Bruce; and Fairbanks, H. Charles, "The reality of the city : urban archaeology at the Telfair site, Savannah, Georgia" (1983). Jeffrey L. Brown Institute of Archaeology Reports. 20.
https://scholar.utc.edu/archaeology-reports/20