Public archaeology through community partnerships
Although Savannah is widely known for its historic preservation efforts, the buried archaeological record has received less attention. Digging Savannah is a public archaeology initiative at the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University. Through community-wide networks and partnerships in coastal Georgia, Digging Savannah engages students in solving the problem of archaeological site loss in Savannah.
For Teachers
A list of resources available for use in the classroom and for home schooling.
See ResourcesFound an Artifact?
Have you ever found an artifact on your property? Did you wonder what to do with it? Perhaps you know of an archaeological site on your property but aren’t sure how to protect it. Digging Savannah is in the process of developing new resources for you! Please stay tuned for fact sheets to find the answers to these questions and other practical tips for landowners and developers.
Learn about:
- How to report archaeological finds.
- Protecting archaeological sites on your property.
- Developing your property without destroying archaeological sites.
- Private property laws and archaeological sites.
- How state and federal laws Can be used to evaluate and protect sites.
- Protections for cemeteries and unmarked human burials.
- When and where you should not dig for artifacts.
Partner with Us
We are always looking for more community partners to share Savannah’s history. Do you have concerns or questions about an archaeological site on your property or elsewhere in our community?
We are happy to visit classrooms, businesses, and other organizations to discuss archaeology and preservation with you. Stay tuned as we develop more opportunities for Savannah students and citizens to participate in the history beneath their feet!
We really do respond to inquiries!
Digging Savannah
University Hall, Armstrong Campus
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419
diggingSavannah@gmail.com
Sociology and Anthropology
Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box 8051
Carroll Bldg, Rm 1003
Statesboro, GA 30460
Phone: 912-478-5443
Fax: 912-478-0703
Digging Savannah is a public archaeology initiative at the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University. Through community-wide networks and partnerships in coastal Georgia, Digging Savannah engages students in solving the problem of archaeological site loss.
Although Savannah is widely known for its historic preservation efforts, the buried archaeological record has received less attention. For 2018, ‘Underground Savannah’ was listed as one of ten ‘Places in Peril’ by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. The list is intended to raise awareness about particularly threatened resources, and Savannah has no archaeological ordinance. Broader public understanding of archaeology as a nonrenewable and threatened resource will be essential to mitigate the destructive impacts of development, erosion, and sea level rise at archaeological sites.
Digging Savannah connects Georgia Southern University students to Savannah’s historic landscapes, in partnerships with stakeholders who help to document the “hidden history” of our community. Students are able to gain hands-on experience with archaeological fieldwork and other forms of documentation, both in the classroom and in the wider community. Dr. Kara Bridgman Sweeney is Director of the Digging Savannah initiative, based in University Hall.
Digging Savannah was founded in 2013 by Anthropology faculty members Barbara Bruno and Laura Seifert at the former Armstrong State University, with funding provided by a Strategic Planning and Resource Council grant for design of a walking tour app and a visiting speaker series.
