About
What We Do
As part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Office of Archives and History, and Division of Historical Resources, the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology examines and preserves remains of North Carolina's material culture. Through field investigations into sites like the wreck of Blackbeard's flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge to untangling the complex history of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson, the office coordinates and implements a statewide program to study and preserve the prehistoric, historic and underwater archaeology of the state. The programs provided include: documenting statewide archaeological resources, issuing permits for archaeological study, assist in listings to the National Register of Historic Places and providing long-term curation of some of the state's most valuable collections.
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Important Sites in North Carolina
An 18th Century house site in Eastern NC
The remains of this early house site help us to understand life in the 18th Century in eastern North Carolina and provide a successful example of archaeologists partnering with local landowners.
The Reid Site
Civil War period shipwrecks
The district, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, consists of the wrecks of 21 Civil War vessels. Fifteen of these wrecks represent nearly 20% of all steam blockade runners lost during the Civil War.
Cape Fear Civil War Shipwreck District
Prehistoric Dug-out Canoes
Thirty canoes have been located along the shores of the lake where they were made, used, and eventually abandoned. Some canoes are mere fragments while others are essentially intact, preserved by the acidic water and lake bottom sediments.
Phelps Lake Canoes
Prehistoric quarry site
This soapstone outcrop was used by prehistoric Native Americans in Yancey County to quarry a large amount of material for stone vessels.
Blue Rock Soapstone QuarryWho's My Archaeologist?
Got a question only an archaeologist can answer? View the interactive map to find the State Archaeologist who specialises in your region.
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