Of Grave Importance: A Collaborative Approach to Archaeological Research on the Cooper River Cemetery, Daufuskie Island, South Carolina

Land dispossession and displacement is a challenge being faced by the Gullah community in Lowcountry South Carolina. Land dispossession due to a phenomenon known as coastal capitalism, or, the increased interest in coastal property, on Daufuskie Island served as an impetus for Miss Sallie Ann Robinson, a Gullah, Daufuskie native, to reach out to academic communities to assist in the preservation of spaces including cemeteries. This led to the ongoing collaborative archaeology project on the Cooper River Cemetery to record information about burials and investigate the presence of those without any headstone markers. The Cooper River Cemetery is one of five Gullah Cemeteries on the island and is part of a larger research initiative set up by the Daufuskie Island Gullah Heritage Society. Using Ground Penetrating Radar, GIS and archival maps, the data has been analyzed through the lens of necrogeography, with the Cooper River Cemetery as the deathscape of focus. This research highlights the importance of collaboration within the field of archaeology, and considers the ways that archaeologists can contribute to, and assist in answering questions posed by communities.