This fascinating and revealing book charts the life of one of the greatest living archaeologists. Stanley South has been a leading figure not only in historical but also in anthropological archaeology. His personal perseverance in field of archaeology has also been an inspiration to new and upcoming archaeologists and anthropologists. This is his memoir, played out among some of the most important debates and movements in archaeology since the 1960s.

Few locations in South Carolina have figured as prominently in the early history of the state as the old town of Ninety Six. As a witness to two Revolutionary War battles, two Cherokee War battles, a trading post, three forts and two towns, the site is perhaps one of the richest archaeological sites in the South. In recognition of its rich history the Ninety Six National Historic Site became part of the National Park Service in 1976. The unusual name that was given to the site is believed to have taken root in the early 1700s. English traders estimated the distance to the Cherokee village of Keowee in the upper South Carolina foothills to be ninety-six miles. By the 1770s, Fort Ninety Six and the adjoining villagelocated at the crossroads of twelve roadsreached its peak as an important backcountry outpost, boasting a growing population, a newly constructed courthouse and jail. However, the onset of the American Revolutionary War would end this progress and the first land battle south of New England was fought at Ninety Six in 1775. The fort and town would change hands many times between those fighting for independence and those still loyal to England, leaving the town in shambles by the close of the war. Old Ninety Six: A History and Guide, by Robert Dunkerly and Eric Williams, is a well-researched and highly accessible work, which underscores the important contribution of Ninety Six to the early history of South Carolina and guides the reader through the well-preserved fort that stills stands at the site today.

A study of the transformative economic and social processes that changed a backcountry Southern outpost into a vital crossroads The Carolina Backcountry Venture is a historical, geographical, and archaeological investigation of the development of Camden, South Carolina, and the Wateree River Valley during the second half of the eighteenth century. The result of extensive field and archival work by author Kenneth E. Lewis, this publication examines the economic and social processes responsible for change and documents the importance of those individuals who played significant roles in determining the success of colonization and the form it took. Established to serve the frontier settlements, the store at Pine Tree Hill soon became an important crossroads in the economy of South Carolina's central backcountry and a focus of trade that linked colonists with one another and the region's native inhabitants. Renamed Camden in 1768, the town grew as the backcountry became enmeshed in the larger commercial economy. As pioneer merchants took advantage of improvements in agriculture and transportation and responded to larger global events such as the American Revolution, Camden evolved with the introduction of short staple cotton, which came to dominate its economy as slavery did its society. Camden's development as a small inland city made it an icon for progress and entrepreneurship. Camden was the focus of expansion in the Wateree Valley, and its early residents were instrumental in creating the backcountry economy. In the absence of effective, larger economic and political institutions, Joseph Kershaw and his associates created a regional economy by forging networks that linked the immigrant population and incorporated the native Catawba people. Their efforts formed the structure of a colonial society and economy in the interior and facilitated the backcountry's incorporation into the commercial Atlantic world. This transition laid the groundwork for the antebellum plantation economy. Lewis references an array of primary and secondary sources as well as archaeological evidence from four decades of research in Camden and surrounding locations. The Carolina Backcountry Venture examines the broad processes involved in settling the area and explores the relationship between the region's historical development and the landscape it created.

The Constructed Past presents group of powerful images of the past, termed in the book construction sites. At these sites, full scale, three-dimensional images of the past have been created for a variety of reasons including archaeological experimentation, tourism and education. Using various case studies, the contributors frankly discuss the aims, problems and mistakes experienced with reconstruction. They encourage the need for on-going experimentation and examine the various uses of the sites; political, economical and educational.

The greatness of America is right under our feet. The American past—the people, battles, industry and homes—can be found not only in libraries and museums, but also in hundreds of archaeological sites that scientists investigate with great care. These sites are not in distant lands, accessible only by research scientists, but nearby—almost every locale possesses a parcel of land worthy of archaeological exploration. Archaeology in America is the first resource that provides students, researchers, and anyone interested in their local history with a survey of the most important archaeological discoveries in North America. Leading scholars, most with an intimate knowledge of the area, have written in-depth essays on over 300 of the most important archaeological sites that explain the importance of the site, the history of the people who left the artifacts, and the nature of the ongoing research. Archaeology in America divides it coverage into 8 regions: the Arctic and Subarctic, the Great Basin and Plateau, the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, the Northeast, the Southeast, the Southwest, and the West Coast. Each entry provides readers with an accessible overview of the archaeological site as well as books and articles for further research.