South Carolina Petroglyph Site facts for kids
The South Carolina Petroglyph Site is a special museum located at the Hagood Mill Historic Site in Pickens County, South Carolina. It's managed by the Hagood Mill Foundation, a group that works to protect and share history. This museum is unique because it protects ancient rock carvings, called petroglyphs, right where they were found. There are at least 32 carvings, including 17 human figures, and most are believed to be from a very long time ago, before recorded history.
Contents
Discovering Ancient Art
What Are Petroglyphs?
Petroglyphs are designs or images carved into rock. People from ancient times made them by pecking, cutting, or scratching away parts of the rock surface. These carvings are a form of rock art and can tell us about the people who made them, even if we don't always know their exact meaning.
How Were They Found?
The Hagood petroglyphs were found by accident on a rainy day in January 2003. A volunteer named Michael Bramlett was helping with the South Carolina Petroglyph Survey. This survey was led by Tommy Charles, an archaeologist from the University of South Carolina.
After the first discovery, Tommy Charles and his team looked at the large, flat rock at night. They used special side-scanning lights. These lights helped them see other carvings that were hidden during the day.
Uncovering More Carvings
A big part of the rock was hidden under a dirt road built in the 1820s. Charles got permission from Pickens County to dig up this covered section. There, he found even more human-like carvings. Most of these were "stick-like figures."
One carving was different. It had a head and legs but no arms, and its body was shaped like a rectangle. The team jokingly called it the "refrigerator man." Charles believed these carvings were very old, from prehistoric times. He thought this because they were made by pecking the rock, probably with stone tools, not by scratching with metal tools.
What Do They Mean?
Even today, the exact age and purpose of these rock carvings are a mystery. Scientists know that some images, like animals or people, are common in art from many different cultures around the world. But the specific meaning of the Hagood petroglyphs is still being studied.
Protecting and Displaying the Art
Building the Museum
Soon after the petroglyphs were found, people wanted to show them to the public. They hoped it would bring visitors to the area. However, it took a long time for the museum to open, finally happening in 2015. There were several reasons for the delay. These included disagreements, problems during construction, and a time when it was hard to raise money for the project.
What You See at the Site
The South Carolina Petroglyph Site is a building that looks like a barn. It was built right over the petroglyphs to protect them and make them easy to see. The building has two rooms.
One room has exhibits with photographs and smaller rock carvings that can be moved. The other room is where you can see the main rock with the petroglyphs. Visitors stand on a special viewing platform. With the right lighting, the carvings become clear. You can also listen to a recording by Tommy Charles, who describes the petroglyphs and their discovery.
