Re-Interment at The Middle Place Site (9Ch158) of Burials That Eroded From the Bluff at 9Ch155 (Newell Creek Site), Ossabaw Island, Chatham County, Georgia

In August of 2001, Wildlife Resources Division staff notified the Office of the State Archaeologist that human remains had eroded from a bluff along Newell Creek on Ossabaw Island and following a storm. DNR Archaeologists visited the site and found four pit features exposed in the bluff profile. Two of the pits had been heavily damaged by slumping, and were completely excavated by the archaeologists. Another pit appeared to be less damaged, but also contained some exposed bones, facial and maxillary, which were in danger of filling into the creek and were removed. The pit appeared to be stable and was not further excavated. The fourth pit appeared to be stable, and had no exposed bones, so it was not disturbed. Archaeologists determined that the remains were American Indian. The Council on American Indian Concerns was notified. The Council recommended to the Commissioner of DNR that the remains should be reburied on the island, on a site known to contain burials, and at a site that was not in any danger of erosion in the near future. Council recommended setting aside an area that could serve to bury additional remains that might erode from sites on the island. Council further recommended excavation of the pit from which exposed bones had been removed in order to rebury all the bones from the pit together at the new location.