Ossabaw Island: ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT 9CH155 (THE NEWELL CREEK SITE) 2001-2002

This report provides an overview of limited archaeological investigations carried out on Ossabaw Island by the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA), Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division, in 2001-2002. Ossabaw Island is managed by DNR's Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). Initial investigations were precipitated by erosion at 9CH155, located on a bluff overlooking Newell Creek at the southern end of the island. The erosion exposed Indian burials, and recovery and re-interment operations were undertaken in concert with the Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns. It was determined that monitoring of the bluff
erosion rate should be undertaken, and as part of that process, the site was investigated to determine the archaeological components present and their spatial distributions. These investigations were meshed with programming for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Investigations revealed occupations from the Late Archaic Period through the early 20th century.