Beyond Historic Bath : Archaeological Investigation of Handy's Point, Bath, North Carolina

Abstract

This thesis examines the Handy's Point site in Bath, North Carolina, to assess its chronological position, fill a void in our past knowledge, and concludes it is not the former location of the village of Secotan. Artifacts from previous archaeological investigations, a private collection, and a small survey done for this study are used to interpret and examine how the site was used in the past and by whom. These artifacts show that this was not the former site of the Native village of Secotan, but might represent a small transitory settlement or family occupation related to this larger village of Secotan. This information shows that this location had been settled for a long period of time before Bath was founded and continued to be used in one way or another since then.