Archaeological survey and testing at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia

A systematic pedestrian survey employing standardized, screened shovel tests was carried out at Hunter Army Airfield in Chatham County, Georgia. Nine archaeological sites were discovered and delineated; two of these are prehistoric sites, six are historic, and one has components from both periods. The prehistoric sites are a Deptford period campsite and a Savannah period shellfishing station. The historic sites are all small rural farmsteads occupied between 1775 and 1850 or later. All sites are relatively small and have sparse deposits of artifacts. The small number of sites and small size of individual sites at Hunter appear to be a consequence of two factors: (1) large areas of the base are intensively developed and therefore inaccessible to survey, including the locations of the colonial period towns of Hampstead and Highgate and (2) much of the remaining area is low-lying, poorly drained land which would have been unattractive to prehistoric settlers and was only marginally useable in the historic period with the advent of dry culture. Phase II testing was carried out at one of the historic sites to evaluate potential impacts of a road-widening project. The sample recovered permits more detailed description of events at the site but the best preserved remains represent mid-20th century activities. The site does not meet criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and no further work was recommended.https://scholar.utc.edu/archaeology-reports/1036/thumbnail.jp