FROM THE COLLECTIONS SERIES “Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly of the Georgia Tribes”

Charles Colcock (CC) Jones, Jr.(1831-1893) was a Southern lawyer, politician and historian. He was also an archaeologist. Well…sort of, because the study of archaeology as a formal discipline in the US didn’t begin until the early 20^th century. He was basically the OG Archaeologist of the South.

Jones had an interest in American Indian history, particularly the nations of the Southeastern United States. “Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly the Georgia Tribes” published in 1873 was one of the first real attempts to catalog and interpret the relics of Georgia and the surrounding regions.

The book is a treasure trove of artifacts and stories as well as early theories. He focused primarily the Creek, Cherokee, and Yamasee nations; setting out to document the physical culture of Southern Indigenous peoples including tools, pottery, burial mounds, and even shell gorgets (those fancy decorative neckpieces). From burial customs to how pottery was made, Jones really gets into it. And he didn’t just collect artifacts — he tried to understand the people behind them.

He preserved history that was already vanishing. At the time, many Indian traditions had been disrupted or lost due to colonization, war, and forced removal. Jones' work helped preserve knowledge that might have otherwise disappeared

“Antiquities of the Southern Indians” is a deep dive into the material culture of Native peoples in the Southeastern U.S; But if you dig just a little deeper (pun intended), the book has some serious issues.
Jones wrote from a white Southern, post-Civil War perspective, ingrained in the racism and paternalism of his time. He often refers to Indigenous peoples in past tense and treats their cultures as mysterious relics, not living traditions. His theories were often speculative and based on popular ideas of his time. The language is outdated and contains offensive terminology. Additionally his descriptions of digging into burial sites would be considered a major violation today.
Despite these problems the book is still considered a key text in Southeastern archaeology as he produced detailed drawings and descriptions of artifacts and many of the sites he documented have since been lost.
When researching “Antiquities of the Southern Indians” remember it’s a product of it’s time and read with a critical eye.