General News

Storeroom Stories: Petrified Wood

Petrified wood forms from dead trees that have been fossilized. When a tree dies, it is usually broken down by bacteria or eaten by insects. Rarely, a tree may become rapidly buried such as in a landslide or after a volcanic eruption. If this happens, bacteria and insects may not…

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General News

Before the Heywards

When giving a tour of the Heyward-Washington house the other day, I mentioned that the information I was sharing was based on new research. The visitor was amazed that we have new information on such an old home. We are constantly digging through archives, and even in the ground, to…

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General News

Determining the Details

Years ago, while visiting with a Smithsonian colleague of mine in Washington, D.C., I was fortunate enough to spend some time perusing several of their museums around the Mall. It was when I stopped by the case holding the world famous Hope Diamond, however, that I noticed the first symptoms…

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General News

Storeroom Stories: Sound of Sickness

PAST EXHIBIT Feeling a bit woozy? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year’s flu season is of “high severity.” It’s therefore safe to assume that more than a few of our friends and neighbors have had some form of a stethoscope stuck to their chest within…

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General News

Animal Bones and Charleston’s Colonial Beef Market

Cooking vessels and drinking pots from the 18th century, typical wares recovered at the Beef Market. A most interesting newspaper article recently circulated on social media made for entertaining and enlightening reading on a rainy afternoon: Considerable excitement was caused on upper King Street this afternoon by the stampede of…

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