Proceedings of the Fourth Caldwell Conference, St. Catherines Island, Georgia, March 27-29, 2009.

391 p. : ill. (chiefly col.), maps (chiefly col.) ; 26 cm. "Issued March 23, 2011."This edited volume addresses the geoarchaeology of St. Catherines Island (Georgia). The field of geoarchaeology has typically been defined as either geology pursued within an archaeological framework or (sometimes the reverse) as archaeology framed with the help of geological methodology. Either way, the formalized objectives of geoarchaeology define a broad range of pursuits, from placing archaeological sites into relative and absolute temporal context through the application of stratigraphic principles and absolute dating techniques, to understanding the natural processes of site formation, to reconstructing the landscapes that existed around a site or group of sites at the time of occupation. The editors of this volume have generally followed the lead of G.R. Rapp and C.L. Hill (2006, Geoarchaeology : the earth-science approach to archaeological interpretation) by stressing the importance of multiple viewpoints and methodologies in applying geoscience techniques to evaluate the archaeological record. In the broadest sense, then, Geoarchaeology of St. Catherines Island applies multiple earth science concepts, techniques, or knowledge bases to the known archaeological record and the processes that created that record. This volume consists of 16 papers presenting the newest research on the stratigraphic and geomorphological evolution of the St. Catherines Island landscape. Of particular interest are presentations addressing the relative timing and nature of sedimentation, paleobiology, sea level change, stream capture, hydrology, and erosional patterning evident on St. Catherines Island (and to some degree the rest of the Georgia Bight). These papers were initially presented at the Fourth Caldwell Conference, cosponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and the St. Catherines Island Foundation, held on St. Catherines Island (Georgia), March 27-29, 2009. Table of contents: Why this archaeologist cares about geoarchaeology : some pasts and futures of St. Catherines Island / David Hurst Thomas -- Evolution of late Pleistocene-Holocene climates and environments of St. Catherines Island and the Georgia Bight / Fredrick J. Rich, Anthony Vega, and Frank J. Vento -- Geoarchaeological research at St. Catherines Island : defining the geological foundation / Gale A. Bishop, Brian K. Meyer, R. Kelly Vance, and Fredrick J. Rich -- Development of a late Pleistocene-Holocene genetic stratigraphic framework for St. Catherines Island : archaeological implications / Frank J. Vento and Patty A. Stahlman -- Ichnological diagnosis of ancient storm-washover fans, Yellow Banks Bluff, St. Catherines Island / Anthony J. Martin and Andrew K. Rindsberg -- Quaternary vegetation and depositional history of St. Catherines Island / Fredrick J. Rich and Robert K. Booth -- Recent shoreline erosion and vertical accretion patterns, St. Catherines Island / Donald B. Potter Jr. -- Role of storm events in beach ridge formation, St. Catherines Island / Harold B. Rollins, Kathi Beratan, and James E. Pottinger -- Drainage changes at Ossabaw, St. Catherines, and Sapelo sounds and their influence on island morphology and spit building on St. Catherines Island / Timothy M. Chowns -- Vibracores and vibracore transects : constraining the geological and cultural history of St. Catherines Island / Gale A. Bishop, David Hurst Thomas, Matthew C. Sanger, Brian K. Meyer, R. Kelly Vance, Robert K. Booth, Fredrick J. Rich, Donald B. Potter, and Timothy Keith-Lucas -- Application of ground penetrating radar to investigations of the stratigraphy, structure, and hydrology of St. Catherines Island / R. Kelly Vance, Gale A. Bishop, Fredrick J. Rich, Brian K. Meyer, and Eleanor J. Camann -- Postsettlement dispersal and dynamic repopulation of estuarine habitats by adult Mercenaria mercenaria, St. Catherines Island / Robert S. Prezant, Harold B. Rollins, and Ronald B. Toll -- The foundation for sea turtle geoarchaeology and zooarchaeology : morphology of recent and ancient sea turtle nests, St. Catherines Island, Georgia, and Cretaceous Fox Hills Sandstone, Elbert County, Colorado / Gale A. Bishop, Fredric L. Pirkle, Brian K. Meyer, and William A. Pirkle -- Sea turtle habitat deterioration on St. Catherines Island : defining the modern transgression / Gale A. Bishop and Brian K. Meyer -- Modeling indigenous hunting and harvesting of sea turtles and their eggs on the Georgia Coast / Gale A. Bishop, David Hurst Thomas, and Brian K. Meyer -- Geomorphology, sea level, and marine resources : St. Catherines Island / Harold B. Rollins and David Hurst Thomas -- Appendix 1. Noncultural radiocarbon record from St. Catherines Island : a compendium -- Appendix 2. Vibracore record from St. Catherines Island : a compendium.Conference sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and the St. Catherines Island Foundation

Heavy-Mineral Mining in the Atlantic Coastal Plain and What Deposit Locations Tell Us about Ancient Shorelines

Economic mining of heavy-mineral sands has a long history in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. From the early part of the 20th century to date, a total of 11 heavy-mineral ore bodies either have been or currently are being mined in Florida and Georgia. Additional deposits have been lost to mining, primarily due to cultural events, or are waiting future exploitation. These deposits have different origins, as has been seen during recent evaluations of the deposits, some in contrast to conventional depositional models. It has long been believed that deposits formed along shorelines at the height of major marine transgressions, but it is now postulated that some heavy-mineral-bearing sands accumulated on regressional beach ridge plains during periods of temporary stillstands or during slight transgressions that accompanied general marine regressions. Although many deposits might indeed have formed as conventional beach placers, others might have accumulated as deposits associated with fluvial–deltaic regimes or with vegetational baffles. These different origins are reflected in the chemical and physical characteristics of the deposits as well as grain size of the sediment. The relationship of the heavy-mineral mineral deposits (location) to the landforms in the Atlantic Coastal Plain provides insight into the ancient shorelines of the Atlantic Coastal Plain

Paleoecological Interpretation of the Trail Ridge Sequence, and Related Deposits in Georgia and Florida, Based on Pollen Sedimentation and Clastic Sedimentology

Late Cenozoic deposits of the Atlantic coastal plain of the southeastern United States include a large volume of very heterogeneous sediments. Heavy mineral-bearing quartz sands are a constituent of these sediments, as are peats, peaty sands and clays, marine and brackish water clays and silts, and shell beds. Herrick (1965) describes the lithology of Pleistocene deposits of coastal Georgia: The Pleistocene deposits in updip areas consist predominantly of fine- to medium-grained, subangular, arkosic, cherty, sparsely phosphatic sand interbedded with minor amounts of very thin-bedded white micaceous, sandy kaolin. In downdip areas much of the sand is apparently replaced by tongues of dark-brownish-gray to black, blocky, rather tough, sandy, coarsely micaceous, lignitic, locally fossiliferous clay. Beneath the lignitic clay is a basal unit consisting of subangular to subrounded, sparsely phosphatic sand and gravel.… Where they have been sampled, many of the sediments have proven to be very productive palynologically. The abundant vegetation of the coastal plain, high water tables, and extensive peat deposits would seem to make such a place an ideal setting for palynological investigations. However, most of the late Cenozoic strata of the Atlantic coastal plain in the Southeast have not been studied. Even surface deposits have received little attention, as was attested to by Davis and Webb (1975). Their attempt to correlate the distribution of modern pollen with extant vegetation failed in the Southeast, because the sampling grid there was ‘extremely sparse.’ Even the distribution of pollen from such common plants as the hollies (Ilex: Aquifoliaceae) could not be mapped, because too few data points existed in the Southeast

Depositional Environment of the Heavy-Mineral Deposits of Bailey, North Carolina, U.S.A

The Bailey, North Carolina, heavy-mineral deposits cover 12.9 square kilometers and contain 5.72 million metric tons of heavy minerals. The sediments comprising this deposit average 6.2 meters thick and contain an average of 4.72 weight percent heavy minerals. Valuable heavy minerals comprise 65 to 70 percent of the heavy-mineral suite and are comprised of ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, and zircon. Most of the Bailey heavy-mineral concentrations lie south, southeast, east, and northeast of the town of Bailey, North Carolina. In this area, unconsolidated Cenozoic sediments of the inner Coastal Plain unconformably overlie the roughly circular Upper Paleozoic Sims pluton which intrudes the older slate belt rocks of the region. The Kenly and Hawley heavy-mineral deposits, south of the Bailey deposits, are probably a continuation of the Bailey deposits. The separation of the two areas of heavy-mineral concentrations most likely is the result of post-depositional stream erosion. It is hypothesized that tides and fluvial processes served as the main agents for concentrating the heavy minerals. It is also hypothesized that the presence of delta and salt water marsh environments resulted in the accumulation of the majority of the kaolin clay that is present. Heavy minerals of the Bailey deposits were probably carried by the Neuse River and deposited in a delta at the edge of a salt marsh. A combination of the crossbedding and Ophiomorpha strongly suggest that the ancient sediments were deposited in subtidal high-energy shoals associated with a tidally-dominated channel of moderate size, such as an inlet or sound associated with barrier islands. Thus, the clay and heavy-mineral concentrations seem to have been partially the result of tidal and fluvial processes operating in a shallow marine to brackish (salt marsh) depositional environment. The Sims pluton appears to have played a role in influencing the path of the Neuse River and, hence, the formation of the Bailey deposits. Based on the pollen present, the Bailey heavy-mineral deposits are probably of Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene age

Palynology and Paleoecology of Strata Associated With the Ohoopee River Dune Field, Emanuel County, Georgia

Fourteen auger holes were drilled through ancient dunes near the Ohoopee River in Emanuel County, Georgia. Driller\u27s logs and sieve analyses show that the wind‐blown sands of the dune field overlie a layer of coarse sand and gravel, which in turn overlies clayey Late Tertiary strata. Clay‐rich sediment recovered from two of the holes contained diatoms, sponge spicules, and other siliceous marine microfossils, while clay analyses from seven other holes revealed the presence of the clay mineral attapulgite (a variety of palygorskite). Twenty‐two sediment samples collected from six of the drill holes contained sufficient organic material to warrant palynological analysis. Eighty‐one taxa of pollen, spores, and algal cysts were used along with the diatoms, clay analyses, and stratigraphy to indicate probable ages and environments of deposition of the sediments. Both the diatoms and the attapulgite indicate marine depositional conditions. Overlying the marine units, but below the eolian sands we found rare occurrences of the extinct or extirpated genera Casuarinidites, Sciadopitys, Pterocarya, and Momipites. We believe these support a Late Tertiary age interpretation for the clayey strata. The presence of taxa such as the Cyrillaceae, Nyssa, Sphagnum, Myriophyllum, and Pseudoschizaea in the uppermost Tertiary units indicates that these sediments accumulated in freshwater wetlands. Our interpretation of the depositional history is that Late Tertiary marine strata accumulated first, probably during the Miocene. As sea level dropped fluvial and paludal conditions led to the accumulation of freshwater swamp/marsh sediments and probable stream sands or gravels later in the Tertiary. Exposure of the Inner Coastal Plain during the Pleistocene resulted in the formation of dunes that migrated over the Tertiary strata at the site of deposition