Abstract
In October 2015 a catastrophic flood event impacted South Carolina, resulting in the loss of 19 lives, the displacement of over 20,000 individuals, and $2.2 billion in damages. During the flood, a large portion of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) archaeological archive was inundated. While initial recovery efforts to remove and relocate impacted materials from the archaeological archive to a triage facility only took a few days, the long-term recovery effort took eight months. SCDNR archaeologists, along with volunteers, students, and professional archaeologists, worked methodically to re-curate approximately 1,500 boxes of previously curated artifacts, stabilize 100 cu. ft. of documents, and process 15,000 photographs, negatives, and slides. As a result of the flood, the SCDNR archaeology team established its first research headquarters in April 2017—Parker Annex Archaeology Center—and now helps those preparing for and responding to disasters in their own communities.
Resumen
En octubre de 2015, una catastrófica inundación afectó a Carolina del Sur y provocó la pérdida de 19 vidas, el desplazamiento de más de 20 mil personas y $2,2 mil millones en daños. Durante la inundación, se inundó una gran parte del archivo arqueológico del Departamento de Recursos Naturales de Carolina del Sur (SCDNR, por sus siglas en inglés). Si bien los esfuerzos iniciales de recuperación para retirar y reubicar los materiales afectados del archivo arqueológico a una instalación de clasificación solo tomaron unos días, el esfuerzo de recuperación a largo plazo tardó ocho meses. Los arqueólogos del SCDNR, junto con voluntarios, estudiantes y arqueólogos profesionales, trabajaron metódicamente para restaurar aproximadamente 1500 cajas de artefactos previamente seleccionados, estabilizar 100 pies cúbicos de documentos y procesar 15 mil fotografías, negativos y diapositivas. Como resultado de la inundación, el equipo de arqueología del SCDNR estableció su primera sede de investigación en abril de 2017, el Centro de Arqueología Anexo Parker, y ahora ayuda a quienes se preparan para los desastres en sus propias comunidades y responden a los mismos.
Résumé
En octobre 2015, une inondation catastrophique se produisit en Caroline du Sud, entraînant la perte de 19 vies, le déplacement de plus de 20 000 personnes et 2,2 milliards USD de dommages. Au cours de l'inondation, une grande partie des archives archéologiques du South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) (Département des Ressources naturelles de Caroline du Sud) s'est trouvée sous les eaux. Si les efforts initiaux de reconstruction afin de procéder au retrait et au transfert des matériaux endommagés entre les archives archéologiques et un centre de triage ne prirent que quelques jours, l'effort de reconstruction à long terme durât huit mois. Les archéologues du SCDNR, aux côtés de bénévoles, d'étudiants et d'archéologues professionnels, ont travaillé de manière méthodique pour répertorier à nouveau environ 1 500 caisses d'artéfacts précédemment répertoriés, stabiliser 2 800 m3 de documents et traiter 15 000 photographies, négatifs et diapositives. En conséquence de l'inondation, l'équipe archéologique du SCDNR a établi son premier centre de recherche en avril 2017, le Parker Annex Archaeology Center et apporte à présent son aide à ceux qui se préparent à affronter des désastres naturels ou doivent y répondre dans leurs propres communautés.
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Notes
This article is based on a one-hour lecture I provide for free to my interns, university classes, and cultural-resources institutions in hopes of preparing those who might face disasters in the future. If you are interested in this lecture, please contact me at GaillardM@dnr.sc.gov. While additional resources can be located within the references, four primary references to note for cultural-resources disaster recovery are (1) National Heritage Responders Hotline: 202-661-8068; (2) American Institute for Conservation (AIC), emergencies page: <https://www.culturalheritage.org/resources/emergencies>; (3) Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative (SCRI): <https://culturalrescue.si.edu/>; and (4) Heritage Emergency National Task Force: <https://culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf/>.
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Acknowledgments:
I would like to thank the 135 volunteers who donated over 1,000 hours of their time assisting the Archaeological Archive Flood Recovery Project, as well as the full-time and part-time SCDNR staff who worked throughout the project’s eight months. I would also like to thank the individuals from private companies, nonprofits, universities, and government agencies who donated supplies, provided advice, and helped us reach the finish line of recovery. The success of this project would not have been possible without your support.
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Gaillard, M. While I Breathe, I Hope: The South Carolina Archaeological Archive Flood Recovery Project. Hist Arch 57, 504–516 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-023-00429-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-023-00429-9