In the editor's introduction to this volume, King observes that Archaeology in South Carolina is intended “to be accessible to non-archaeologists while presenting information that is interesting and informative to both our research colleagues and those in the state who support us” (p. ix). To varying degrees, it succeeds in those goals. Each of the 13 chapters is clearly written and informative; the language is approachable and jargon free and will be easily understood by those without an archaeological background, and the subject matter reflects a range of perspectives and approaches to studying and interpreting the prehistory and history of South Carolina.

King's introduction is pitched toward non-archaeologists, and he does an admirable job of summarizing not only the breadth of archaeological research that has been and continues to be conducted in South Carolina but also some of the basic methodological approaches that are being applied in that research. In addressing audiences outside the academic archaeological community, King underscores an important point: it is critical for modern archaeologists to engage with the broader community about their research, especially in the era of shrinking public funding for archaeology. This sentiment is reflected directly and indirectly in the book's diverse chapters, including Steen et al.’s discussion (Chapter 11) of the ongoing and multi-faceted public archaeology program at the Johannes Kolb site. In hindsight, it seems like something of a missed opportunity that in Chapter 1, which focuses largely on the well-known Topper site, Goodyear did not include a more detailed discussion of the unique model of funding and public engagement that has supported numerous field seasons at the site.

The potential influence of archaeology on broader political and social discourse is on full display in Smith's essay (Chapter 9) on the history of the use, sinking, and recovery of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley and its place in the evolving narrative about the state's Civil War–era past and heritage. Initially published in 2000 prior to the submarine's raising, the current chapter has been updated with an addendum for this publication. Smith, writing at the sesquicentennial of the Civil War 15 years after the raising of the Hunley, builds on his observations from 2000, incorporating current public and academic perceptions of the historical significance of the submarine and its crew in light of the deep and persistent wounds inflicted by the Civil War.

The first three chapters review previous research on South Carolina's Paleoindian (Goodyear), Archaic (Sassaman), and Woodland and Mississippian (King and Stevenson) periods. While no new data are presented in these essays, they are nonetheless fascinating and will provide much stimulation for readers unfamiliar with the pre-European history of the state. Subsequent chapters by Cobb and DePratter (Chapter 4) and by Sweeny and Poplin (Chapter 5) discuss various aspects of contact, interaction, and conflict between the region's indigenous populations and contemporaneous European colonial populations, before the remaining essays shift mostly to subjects relating to postcontact European-American history. Readers focused on more recent periods and events in South Carolina's past will find these later chapters especially relevant to their interests. Leader's contribution (Chapter 12) is an excellent general introduction to the general technology, methods, and applications of remote sensing, an increasingly indispensable tool in archaeology. The book's final chapter, an autobiographical retrospective by Stanley South, is somewhat scattered in narrative flow, but provides a fascinating summary of a life well-lived in the pursuit of understanding South Carolina's past.

Ultimately, this volume represents a strong contribution to the body of literature on archaeology in South Carolina, especially for non-archaeologists or for archaeologists outside of the southeastern United States, although its treatment of the state's past is decidedly lopsided with respect to the varying depth and detail of coverage on South Carolina's history prior to and after European contact. Only about 76 out of 240 pages of text (including references) are devoted to exclusively indigenous American periods and cultures (i.e., Clovis through Mississippian). This is not necessarily an oversight, given that the book does not purport to be an exhaustive review of South Carolina archaeology, but rather a sampling of the archaeology being done in the state. However, for a state with such an extensive pre-European archaeological record, the relatively minimal space devoted to over 12,000 years of human occupation was noticeable. Nevertheless, this volume does indeed provide something of interest to most archaeologically inclined readers and is a welcome offering from a group of researchers who have contributed, and who continue to contribute, to our evolving understanding of the rich, ancient history of human occupation in South Carolina.