In this episode of Grandma's Silver, we journey to the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Sarah Platt—archaeologist, professor, and part of the team behind a groundbreaking excavation at the Heyward-Washington House, co-lead with John Fisher from The Charleston Museum.

Dr. Platt walks us through the layers of history being unearthed—literally—as she leads the College of Charleston's in-semester archaeology field school in partnership with The Charleston Museum. Together, we explore the 18th-century gunsmithing workshop once operated by John Milner Sr., the enslaved artisans who sustained it, and the many lives that moved through this storied site.

We talk about what archaeology can reveal that written records cannot, how material culture brings forgotten narratives into focus, and why it's so important to make this kind of work more accessible to students and the public alike.

This is a conversation about preservation, participation, and the power of uncovering the past—one artifact at a time.

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about the excavationat the Heyward-Washington House here.
• Plan a visit to The Charleston Museum and follow along on Instagram.
• Interested in the College of Charleston's Archaeology program? Click here.