Altamaha Town Archaeology

Archaeologists discovered Altamaha Town, at Heyward Point, along the Colleton River. They excavated six circular houses, the only known examples of Yamasee homes in South Carolina. They found thousands of artifacts that helped them understand how people lived in the town.

What did they find?

Round soil stains created as posts rotted.

14 to 15 post stains that formed 24-foot round houses.

Evidence of a door.

Post stains inside the houses from sleeping platforms and walls.

No evidence of hearths inside the houses.

Over 85,000 artifacts made or purchased by Yamasee people.

What did we Learn?

Archaeologists learned about how Yamasee people lived and the tools and clothes they used in their daily lives. These artifacts show us the Yamasee kept traditions such as making pottery, but liked to trade for European beads, guns, and metal tools.