Written by Palmetto Bluff
Sep 17, 2020
Palmetto Bluff has a variety of interesting and unique street names throughout the property. Named for past residents, artifacts, and local flora and fauna, these names have been carefully chosen as they represent the storied past of the Bluff.
Located in the South Wilson neighborhood of Palmetto Bluff, Lithic Street is named for stone tools once used at Palmetto Bluff.
What is a lithic?
The term “lithic” is derived from the ancient Greek word for “rock” (lithos). Therefore, a lithic is essentially any artifact made of stone. It’s also one of the most common types of artifacts archaeologists find at prehistoric sites, since many other artifacts, such as bones or clothes, do not preserve well.
Lithic tools are commonly found at Palmetto Bluff even though stones do not occur naturally in the sandy soil here. The closest source for chert, a sedimentary rock, that is easily chipped into points, knives, and other tools, is 70 miles inland, a walk of several days. Most of the lithic artifacts found at Palmetto Bluff are made of chert from this area. Tools and flakes of stone, made when the tools were created or sharpened, are found all over Palmetto Bluff.
