The Diachronic Research Foundation

is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the study of South Carolina’s past and people. We pursue this goal using archaeology, history, geography, geology, folklore and more working together under the overall umbrella of Anthropolgy. A summary of past and current projects can be found here (link). The links on this page will lead to articles about some of our activities. 

Please be sure to visit 38CH69.com for our latest work at Fort Johnson.

The Kolb Site

The Johannes Kolb site project has continued, with new discoveries every year. The Johannes Kolb site, 38DA75, is on a cut off meander of  the Great Pee Dee River near Mechanicsville in Darlington County. Johannes Kolb was a settler on South Carolina's frontier in the 1730s but the site has occupations ranging from about 12,000 years BP, to the early 20th century. This project has been carried out in conjunction with the SC Department of Natural Resources and USC Lancaster. We will be at work there again in March of 2009. Our Public Archaeology Day will be held on March 14. Visitors and volunteers are welcome (link) 

My reports on the two field seasons at Somerset Place State Historic Site, near Creswell, N.C. have been combined and published by the North Carolina Archaeological Council.  (link) They are available for $20 each from:
NCAC
c/o Charles Heath, Sec-Treas
117 Oakdale St.
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
E-mail: charles.heathjr@us.army.mil

The South Volume

Linda Carnes McNaughton and I edited a volume of papers in honor of Stanley South (link). The Council of South Carolina Professional Archaeologists printed it, and copies can be obtained by contacting me at the address below.

Archaeological and Historical Research at Fort Johnson, on Charleston Harbor. (link) This is an old web site that is no longer current. The historical summaries are useful however, especially James Legg's history of Fort Johnson in the Civil War. Current Research at Fort Johnson is underway. See our web site at the link.

Sandstone Ledge Rockshelter

After many years of dormancy the Sandstone Ledge Rockshelter report has finally been published. This is available in paper form in a stand alone volume of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina's journal SC Antiquities or as a PDF (in full color) on a disc (guest edited by Carl Steen) which contains the first 40 years of the journal. Contact editor Natalie Adams (npadams@mindspring.com) or go to: http:assc.net

Other Research

In 1997 we  collaborated with photographer, author and oral historian Vennie Deas Moore on a study of the Sandy Island community. A brief report and photo exhibit is attached (link)

A few suggested links for SC Archaeology

The COSCAPA web site is at http://coscapa.org.

Archaeological Society of South Carolina Click here for information on the ASSC.  

South Carolina Archives: Click here to go to their web site and get a locater map.

The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources  Archaeology Branch  also has a great site, with numerous useful and pertinent links.

A web site promoting  archaeological site protection  on private lands has been developed by the National Park Service in consultation with the SAA. The site illustrates strategies for site protection. Agency people, CRM firms and others should find this very useful.

SCIWAY is a clearing house  for South Carolina internet resources. They have links to state and local government agencies, libraries and universities, lodging, maps, and about anything else you might need. Provides direct access to many county and state records sites useful in historical research.

Rootsweb can't be beat for links to every imaginable historical source.

Again, my apologies for this incomplete and messy web site. I'll be reorganizing it and updating it in the months to come. Please check back. For further information contact Carl Steen at diachronic@aol.com. Snail mail me at PO Box 50394 Columbia SC 29250.

Webmaster: Carl Steen

Diachronic Research Foundation

PO Box 50394

Columbia SC 29250

803-929-0294