Sixteenth-century European colonization forced Native groups along the Georgia coast and South Carolina Lowcountry to utilize new socio-political strategies to cope with instability brought on by accelerated change. These events ushered in what Robbie Ethridge describes as a “Shatter Zone,” an area where surviving indigenous groups were forced to adapt and redevelop cultural systems. Native groups caught in this zone faced changing political economies marred by enslavement and new realities decimating traditional practices. Recent archaeological excavations and analysis on 17th to early 19th-century Lowcountry sites, including the former Robert Daniell homesite on Daniel Island, reveal a dynamic landscape. What impact did life in the “Shatter Zone” have on groups such as the Shawnee, Yamasee, Westo, Ashley (Etiwan and other groups living near Charleston Harbor) and the Catawba? Join us as we learn more about this important time period from guest speaker Dr. Eric Poplin, Senior Archaeologist and Vice President at Brockington & Associates of Charleston. At this program, Dr. Poplin will also share updated information from the final archaeological report on the Daniell homesite.

Dr. Eric Poplin, Senior Archaeologist, VP, Charleston – Brockington & Assoc.

Robert Daniell homesite