SEAC 2016 - Conflict Archaeology in a Modern Urban Environment: Finding the Battle of Atlanta
By Stacey R. Whitacre, Scott Butler, and James M. Page
Southeastern Archaeological Conference 2016
Three archaeologists from our Atlanta office, Stacey R. Whitacre, Scott Butler, and James M. Page, will be presenting original research pertaining to the Battle of Atlanta at the 2016 annual Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Athens, Georgia. Ms. Whitacre will be presenting on Thursday, October 27th at 4:00 pm, in the General Session: Landscapes. The title and abstract of the paper are below.
Conflict Archaeology in a Modern Urban Environment: Finding the Battle of Atlanta
The American Civil War left a permanent mark on the landscape of the United States. However, several battlefields have been altered by modern development. The physical remnants of the Battle of Atlanta were gradually erased as the needs of a growing city resulted in the construction of roads, high-rises, and other development. This paper discusses the challenges, limitations, and overall potential of conflict archaeology in a modern urban environment and offers a methodological plan of action for conflict site identification and investigation. We present a case study of a Confederate gun emplacement site located during a utility project through Atlanta.