Curator Lecture Series: Lowcountry Bounty: Foodways in Charleston revealed through Archaeology

Event Details

Martha Zierden, Curator of Historical Archaeology, will speak on the ancient foodways of Charleston that were revealed through archaeology. When European and African settlers arrived in Carolina in the late seventeenth century, they encountered a bountiful land, teeming with fish, game, and a variety of resources. Zooarchaeology has, for over three decades informed on the animals used and consumed by all residents of the Carolina lowcountry. The lowcountry diet was marked by a heavy consumption of beef, while wild species of fish, birds, and small mammals provided diversity, particularly for wealthier residents. Lowcountry cuisine is a combination of European, African, Native American and West Indian influences and recipes with foods native to, or successfully cultivated in the lowcountry. Analysis of animal bone, environmental data, and artifacts from both urban and rural sites show us that lowcountry residents took advantages of the resources available to them by combining meats from domestic animals with those from a wide variety of wild animals in a unique way. Archaeological excavations in Charleston have also recovered artifacts used in storing, cooking, and serving this lowcountry diet.

After each lecture, there will be allotted time for a brief Q&A. The Series runs September through November and is free and open to the public. Dates vary, but each lecture falls on a Tuesday evening at 6:00.

Lectures that part of The Charleston Museum's Curator Lecture Series for the Fall of 2014 are free and open to the public!