Archaeological Survey of Historic Bath : Locating the Early Eighteenth-Century Colonial Settlements in North Carolina's First Town

Abstract

Historic Bath was the first town to be incorporated in North Carolina. Following its incorporation on March 8, 1705, many individuals purchased property in the town, including a number of prominent figures who were influential in North Carolina's early history. Based on historical records, it is thought that much of the ownership in the early days of Bath was speculative, and not all of the property owners in the early eighteenth century resided in the town. The goal of the large-scale archaeological survey presented in this thesis was to determine which lots were occupied in the early eighteenth century. This research employed a `presence/absence' type of analysis, using temporally-diagnostic ceramics as an indicator of early eighteenth-century occupation. The survey revealed evidence for early eighteenth-century activity throughout the town, indicating widespread occupation in the early colonial period of Historic Bath. Results have been separated by their respective lot and their priority for further archeological research. Additional archaeological investigations can provide a more comprehensive picture of everyday life in Historic Bath and the roles of the individual inhabitants within the social structure of the town and the colony as a whole.