Native Communities of South Carolina

Now Open

This recently updated display explores the important role Native Communities play in the culture and history of South Carolina. Guests will learn about the nine SC tribes currently recognized by the federal government in the state, as well as see related objects on exhibit.

The display includes a section on "Traditions in Catawba Clay," which features pottery from the museum's collection. Catawba pottery is one of the oldest continuous art traditions in the Southeast. Passed down through generations, Catawba potters hand-shape clay gathered from sacred clay holes near the Catawba River. 

The gallery also includes an excerpt from the museum's traveling exhibition, Resilience & Revolution: Native Peoples in 18th Century South Carolina, which explores the struggles experienced by Indigenous peoples in South Carolina to retain their independence following the establishment of the Carolina colony by the British.