Charcoal Wood Analysis of Brookgreen Gardens
Presentation Type
Event
Full Name of Faculty Mentor
David Palmer
Major
History
Presentation Abstract
Brookgreen Gardens is located on the former estates of four, 19th century South Carolina rice plantations. Between 2012 and 2018, Brookgreen was investigated by volunteers and CCU archaeology field schools. Most of the sites contained charcoal. The charcoal were remnants of fires or controlled burns on the plantation. In order to determine the wood type and species of the charcoal samples, microscopic analysis of pore type, vessel pattern, and ray arrangement were used. Most of the samples were softwoods, containing resin canals and tracheids. Using wood identification databases, it was concluded that most of the samples originated from yellow pine, specifically native longleaf pine. This indicates a predominance of longleaf pine on the Brookgreen plantation. Other tree species have been identified. This was the first study of its kind do on the plantation, with it a shift in the ecology was identified, and it added to the historical record.
Location
Lib Jackson Student Union, Atrium
Start Date
17-4-2019 4:30 PM
End Date
17-4-2019 6:30 PM
Disciplines
History
Recommended Citation
Luse, Steven and Wood, Katlin, "Charcoal Wood Analysis of Brookgreen Gardens" (2019). Undergraduate Research Competition. 32.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/ugrc/2019/poster/32
Charcoal Wood Analysis of Brookgreen Gardens
Lib Jackson Student Union, Atrium
Brookgreen Gardens is located on the former estates of four, 19th century South Carolina rice plantations. Between 2012 and 2018, Brookgreen was investigated by volunteers and CCU archaeology field schools. Most of the sites contained charcoal. The charcoal were remnants of fires or controlled burns on the plantation. In order to determine the wood type and species of the charcoal samples, microscopic analysis of pore type, vessel pattern, and ray arrangement were used. Most of the samples were softwoods, containing resin canals and tracheids. Using wood identification databases, it was concluded that most of the samples originated from yellow pine, specifically native longleaf pine. This indicates a predominance of longleaf pine on the Brookgreen plantation. Other tree species have been identified. This was the first study of its kind do on the plantation, with it a shift in the ecology was identified, and it added to the historical record.