Clam Midden site,,,

[tncreeker]

So I have found pottery,,10 gazillion clam shells,,any piece could be used as a tool. What should I be looking for The shell breaks quickly in my hands. I will post pics of the pottery soon. This is Murrells Inlet S.C.

 

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[catherine1]

Look a little deeper. And look for rich soil. Are you finding flint chips? Bone or charcoal? You should if you are finding pottery.

 

[Invinciblejets]

Went to this site this morning to check it out but there is a bunch of no trespassing signs and construction starting.
Someone must of have bought the property.
And probably have no clue and don't care at all what is on the property ..which is terribly sad.

This site need to be recognized.
Someone let me know if they want to set somthing up with property owners or somthin to be able to document this site further.

 

[GatorBoy]

Just look where the water has been eroding the land for many years wherever material is gathered you could even look to where you see piles of clam shells gathered along the shoreline and look for whatever the local lithic material would be in your area mixed in... Look for pottery pieces bone even shell tools.
After looking for a while and noticing the material that came from the midden will have a certain color patina to it you'll be able to see it even when mixed in with other more recent shells and other material



A lot of time the dark rich soil in a site like that will stain shell a sort of pinkish color

 

[GatorBoy]

For the most part I would imagine clams where food and not used as tools I would look for different shell material in with the clam shells and look closely whenever you find something that's not a clamshell.. But still has that look of stain.. A lot of people don't realize shell can take on patina even heavy sometimes

 

[GatorBoy]

I would look closely at these two areas of shoreline at low tide.. Follow the material by its size to the area you see the heaviest and largest pieces gathered together

 

[-=METAL=-]

I would look closely at these two areas of shoreline at low tide.. Follow the material by its size to the area you see the heaviest and largest pieces gathered together

View attachment 1128169

Hey gator boy, so if you found a shell midden eroding out of a trail in the woods not too far from the shore, would you think it would be worth your while to check the shore line? Would there be any particular spots on the shore you would think are more worth checking out than others? Lets say the shore for the most part is muddy... Would coves be a more likely spot or no?

 

[GatorBoy]

Keep in mind that mound was there as a trash pile from periods of time spent in the area by groups of people there will be artifacts scattered about also.
As far as the shoreline goes that's almost a no brainer go to spot anywhere Mother Nature has been removing earth for you is a priority if you're hoping to find artifacts short of digging holes in the ground or destroying the midden which I really don't agree with to begin with... With a water source nearby there should be enough separated and isolated artifacts to keep a hobbyist happy without destroying things in context that archaeologists could actually get more information from.
Muddy is not good look for areas the loose material like that has been stripped away down to gravel or clay where heavier objects settle and are visible.
In the case of the photo above I took into account tidal action and wind driven current that usually creates a situation that digs out material on either the windward or leeward side of a point Depending on which direction the water is moving

 

[-=METAL=-]

Keep in mind that mound was there as a trash pile from periods of time spent in the area by groups of people there will be artifacts scattered about also.
As far as the shoreline goes that's almost a no brainer go to spot anywhere Mother Nature has been removing earth for you is a priority if you're hoping to find artifacts short of digging holes in the ground or destroying the midden which I really don't agree with to begin with... With a water source nearby there should be enough separated and isolated artifacts to keep a hobbyist happy without destroying things in context that archaeologists could actually get more information from.
Muddy is not good look for areas the loose material like that has been stripped away down to gravel or clay where heavier objects settle and are visible.
In the case of the photo above I took into account tidal action and wind driven current that usually creates a situation that digs out material on either the windward or leeward side of a. Depending on which direction the water is moving

I see, good info. Now I have found a few artifacts eroding out of nearby paths, but the ratio of artifacts found to time spent is not a good one. Now this is a known spot where artifacts were found back when it was farmland, but it has now all reverted back to woods, that's why I'm asking about the shoreline. Where ever the beach is not muddy in this area, it is extremely rocky with all different rock sizes. Looking here kind of gets monotonous and I have yet to find anything, would you bother with the rocky areas of the shore? You think I should keep looking? Any advice?

 

[GatorBoy]

I think you should look in the rocky areas.. Especially ones in close proximity to the main site.
Here is a photo I'm borrowing from "painter"
I think once you find a couple pieces it kind of turns on a light I can't explain it but your eyes will start to key in more and you'll start finding more.
Also check out any wash outs and those paths after heavy rainfall

 

[Invinciblejets]

Good info^ thanks!

 

[-=METAL=-]

I think you should look in the rocky areas.. Especially ones in close proximity to the main site.
Here is a photo I'm borrowing from "painter"
I think once you find a couple pieces it kind of turns on a light I can't explain it but your eyes will start to key in more and you'll start finding more.
Also check out any wash outs and those paths after heavy rainfall

View attachment 1128235

Awesome, thanks for the advice, I'll stick with it.

 

[GatorBoy]

Good info^ thanks!

My pleasure

 

[GatorBoy]

Awesome, thanks for the advice, I'll stick with it.

Good luck

 

[tncreeker]

Gator,
The right side of the dock is pluff mud and oysters, the side that you circled to the left, its just part of the creek. The creek also runs around the back of the midden making it an island of sorts at high tide. The entire area is a midden, at least 10ft in depth. There is grass and trees growing on it but nothing built on it yet. There is a swash just north of there that has produced alot of pottery. The land between bus. 17 and bypass 17 in general produces pottery also. It is so built up now that its hard to find land to hunt. The area is known as the "Neck" or Waccamaw Neck. The ICW is on one side(fresh water) and the ocean on the other, with a very fertile creek. Best oysters you will ever eat. They say that when the first people came to settle, they used the hundreds of middens they found to pave the first streets. Sad, I know.
Invinciblejets,,,,,I would talk to the man that owns the big white house on the south side of the property. He is really nice and easy to talk to. He owns the south dock, the new property owners own the north dock. It was there when they bought the lot. There is a vacant lot between the two. That beach is public land, I know this to be a fact. I guess egress and ingress is a problem now,,,,,,got a skiff? Just a thought. Well good luck, it would be great to see it saved, investigated, etc..

 

[GatorBoy]

That was a cool feet on the ground update.. It's hard to figure all that out from the blurry satellite image.
They did the same thing here with one midden after another ... Our streets are paved on artifacts

 

[tncreeker]

Just look where the water has been eroding the land for many years wherever material is gathered you could even look to where you see piles of clam shells gathered along the shoreline and look for whatever the local lithic material would be in your area mixed in... Look for pottery pieces bone even shell tools.
After looking for a while and noticing the material that came from the midden will have a certain color patina to it you'll be able to see it even when mixed in with other more recent shells and other material

View attachment 1128165

A lot of time the dark rich soil in a site like that will stain shell a sort of pinkish color

View attachment 1128166

The Entire Island is the midden,,,front to back, left to right. You dont need to sort through anything, its all midden material. There are fragments scattered all over. I did start to dig right next to the south dock. I found layer upon layer of pottery. The soil is very dark. I had a pot about 2/3 of the way put together. Many different styles, imprints, thicknesses, colors etc. It`s wet and roots have grown through pieces. Very fragile, it will break easily until its dried. Parts of the midden have been destroyed when they set the pilings for the docks.

 

[GatorBoy]

So I have found pottery,,10 gazillion clam shells,,any piece could be used as a tool. What should I be looking for The shell breaks quickly in my hands. I will post pics of the pottery soon. This is Murrells Inlet S.C.

You asked a question I offered possible answes if anybody else wants to help you out that's great otherwise good luck

 

[tncreeker]

Didnt mean to sound rude,,,I was just trying to explain whats there. I thank you for your info and wasnt trying to prove you wrong or anything like that. I have spent hours and hours on that little beach and was trying to explain it. Thats all. Thanx again
Lori

BTW,,I posted this first post in2013. I`m in WNC now. I just hope someone else can look into it.

 

[GatorBoy]

Its all good it's just that I've spent so long hunting artifacts in that type environment it's really more than I can explain in a couple posts.. I tried to boil it down to some broad general ideas that can be applied however necessary in different areas.. Under different circumstances.
We have midden sites in my area that are still left some 30 feet high.. You have to learn to look for material not for shapes and look for the set of circumstances that allow for different materials to gather or settle in different areas or wait for Mother Nature to help you out in different ways.
I took this photo looking down while standing on top of one of the local middens