Stallings Island facts for kids
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Stallings Island
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | Columbia County, Georgia, USA |
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| Nearest city | Augusta, Georgia |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000279 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 20, 1961 |
Stallings Island is a very old place where people used to live, located in the Savannah River near Augusta, Georgia. It's known as an archeological site, which means scientists study it to learn about the past. The island has special piles of shells, called shell mounds, left behind by the people who lived there long ago.
This island is so important that a whole group of ancient people, called the Stallings culture, and their unique pottery are named after it. The Stallings fiber-tempered pottery is the oldest pottery ever found in North America! Because of its historical value, Stallings Island was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
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Exploring Stallings Island's Past
Stallings Island is found upriver from Augusta, in an area known as the Ninety-Nine Islands. It's just a short distance downriver from where Stevens Creek flows into the Savannah River. People lived on this island a very long time ago, in two main periods.
Early Life on the Island
The first time people lived on Stallings Island was from about 2600 B.C.E. to 2000 B.C.E. This was during a time called the Late Archaic period. The people living there were part of groups known as the Paris Island and Mill Branch traditions. They didn't use pottery yet. Instead, they were skilled hunter-gatherers. They especially loved to collect and eat lots of freshwater mussels from the river. These mussels left behind huge piles of shells, which are the shell mounds we see today.
The Arrival of Pottery
After a short break, people returned to Stallings Island from about 1800 B.C.E. to 1400 B.C.E. These new residents were part of the Classic Stallings culture. They were special because they used decorated pottery. Interestingly, the very first, plain Stallings pottery actually appeared at other places before people came back to Stallings Island.
This time period on Stallings Island shows an important change. People were slowly moving from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to living in more settled villages. They also started to use agriculture, which means growing their own food.
Discovering and Protecting the Site
Stallings Island was first identified as an important archeological site in 1861. Since then, many scientists have studied the island through careful excavations. These digs help us understand how ancient people lived.
Sadly, the island has also faced problems with people illegally digging for artifacts, which is called looting. Because of this, it was considered a "threatened landmark" for many years. To protect this special place, the Archaeological Conservancy bought the island in 1998. This helps make sure its history is preserved for future generations.
You might even know a school named after this site! Stallings Island Middle School in Martinez, GA, was named to honor this important piece of history.
