08 July 2026

Dig into Archaeology in the BDC by Sydney Whiteside

The Beaufort District Collection’s holdings and programs center on a few different key themes, such as local history, genealogy, Gullah culture, natural history, and — vital to this year's summer reading program — archaeology.

Old White Church Ruins from the
Russell J. Arnsberger Postcard Collection.
This year's summer reading theme is Unearth a Story; a concept that connects adventure, imagination, archaeology, and paleontology. Both children and adults alike are encouraged to dig into a good book for twenty minutes a day in order to win some pretty rawr-some prizes. You can read all about the special events, the Super Reader Bonus Round, the three tiers of rewards, and even download your game board all in one place: Summer Reading 2026: Unearth a Story.

The BDC holds two special types of archaeological texts: investigations and cultural resources surveys. To the average person, the spiral bound pages look nearly identical and would seem to contain relatively the same information. This is mostly true, but there are indeed some key differences that would lead a researcher to request an archaeological investigation over a cultural resource survey or vice versa. 

A Cultural Resource Survey is a broad identification process that is conducted in order to evaluate an areas archaeological, architectural, cultural, and historical significance. Archaeologists and historians will utilize archives to identify potentially culturally significant sites in conjunction with limited sub-surface testing that only locates possible buried sites. Any findings are then tested against the Area of Potential Effect (APE) which measures the cultural or historical value of the property that is being surveyed. If cultural or historic resources are found, the property may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Each of these steps along with any historical research conducted along the way can be found documented in a cultural resources survey. 

An Archaeological Investigation is an intensive, scientific process in which the main objective is the uncovering and studying of a sites architecture, artifacts, and environmental data through analysis, excavation, and surveys. Light historical background is completed prior to initial site surveys which attempt to locate potential resources. If the preliminary survey proves to be productive, more intensive excavations can move forward with findings eventually being sent to the laboratory for thorough investigation. Every step of this process is comprehensively outlined inside of a specified site's archaeological investigation. 

Now that we have a better understanding of the difference between Archaeological investigations and cultural resource surveys, lets take a look at some archaeology related materials one can discover within the Beaufort District Collection. 

Friendly reminder: the following materials are only available to view within the BDC, *unless stated otherwise. If you wish to view any of the following materials: walk-ins are sometimes accepted, while appointments are always encouraged. To make an appointment, send an email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468.

Archaeology related titles available in the BDC.

Archaeological Overviews 

A few archaeological investigations available to view in the BDC.

Archaeological Investigations 

A couple cultural resource surveys available to view in the BDC.
Cultural Resources Surveys 

Materials from VF Allendale Paleoindian Expedition.

Archaeology Related Vertical Files

Vertical files hold materials such as clippings, pamphlets, or articles pertaining to the subject of the file. These files act as a gateway; they can provide context that may point researchers to a new path of resources. If you are interested in learning more about the importance and use of these files, check out The Value of Historical (and Permanent) Vertical Files.

From the Russell J. Arnsberger Postcard Collection.

If you are interested in any of the materials I have shared today or wish to explore our collection for yourself: walk-ins are sometimes accepted, while appointments are always encouraged. To make an appointment, send an email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468. We hope to hear from you soon!

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