to further plumb this thread:

At Fort Johnson and other sites on the Sea Islands of South Carolina, including 16th century Santa Elena, Civil War camps, and late 19th
century free black occupations, wells were dug in unconsolidated sand by excavating a pit to the water table, and then placing a wooden
barrel in the hole. Presumably they were sunk further from within the barrel. In most cases these went no more than 3-4m below surface.

go to:

http://diachronicresearch.com/Content/Ft%20Johnson/FJ%20images/well-profile.jpg

to see one.

I have heard of archaeologists excavating wells using the same methods (actually pipe inserts, but the same concept)

Carl Steen

PS: It was common in this area to collect rain water for drinking and cooking, and use well water for washing, watering animals, etc


9/19/2001 10:30:26 AM, SouthArc <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>A few years ago we excavated a hand-dug well near Charleston, SC which dated
>to the immediate post-Civil War period.  The soils were coastal sands and
>clays with a fairly high water table.  Like the other well described in this
>thread, ours had evidence of a pit excavation in the upper levels (top 60
>cm) but then was clearly excavated from the interior below that level.  It
>was lined with unmortared bricks with the headers forming the ring.  A
>square base of 1-inch thick boards underlay the last course of bricks at a
>depth of approximately 4 m below present ground surface.  These boards
>rested on gumbo clay.  Water levels in this well fluctuated widely depending
>on the time of year.  When we first located it in early spring, it was
>filled to the top;  when we excavated in mid-summer the water level was 2 m
>below present ground surface.  Given the proximity of the well to a tidal
>river (less than 100 m), I wouldn't bet on the quality of the water, but it
>was the only thing available other than groundwater seepage in low areas.
>Similar wells were identified at other sites within this project, so the
>construction method appears to be typical for this area, dating back to 18th
>c. sites.
>
>                Lucy Wayne
>

Carl Steen
Archaeologist
The Diachronic Research Foundation
PO Box 50394
Columbia, SC 29250
Web Site: http://diachronicresearch.com