Shell mounds have always served a mystery for the people of South Carolina. They are quite a common site along beaches from South Carolina Coast to the border of Georgia. Known to date back to more than thousands of years, it shows the kind of culture and life ancient nomadic tribes of the Carolinas had.
According to theories of historians and archaeologists from Explore Edisto, these shell mounds are man-made piles of shells and other food wastes that ancient nomadic tribes have eaten. There are indications that these may be from village ceremonial feasts, explaining the amount of waste that exists in one mound. However, these theories still remain inconclusive.
After existing for more than 4,000 years, the shell mound found in Edisto Beach State Park on Edisto Island might finally disappear from the face of the Earth. Post and Courier explain that it might be gone before the end of the year. It has been caused by erosion brought about the passing of tides and waves in the area and further sped up by the massive coastal development in the region.
Historians and archaeologists have taken this as the perfect opportunity to find out what is underneath all that pile of shells. They have found ancient accessories made from bones, broken up pottery, and soapstones used to heat food. They have also discovered a great deal about the type of diet these ancient people had if they did use these mounds as storage of their food wastes. On top of this, they had an even more incredible find - they have discovered that there is a mysterious pit dug at the bottom of the entire mound.
Scientists are still trying to figure out the use of this pit and are excited to find out if there are even more discoveries to be made further. Could this interesting pit be the entrance to treasure or a portal to some ancient cave no one knew ever existed?
