Jordan Harder, a junior at the College of Charleston studying archeology and history, was sifting through a pile of dirt when the dull gleam from porcelain chips glinted in the sunlight among the earth and rocks around it.

She paused, holding the pieces no bigger than a few centimeters in her hand, rubbing the surface with her finger.

Martha Zierden, retired Charleston Museum curator of historical archeology, picked up the shards in her hand and examined it closely.

"It looks like a piece of English annular white ware, dated sometime between 1830 to 1900 based on the color," Zierden told the group of students. "These kind of wares were mass imported in the 19th century, it was less expensive and therefore something that everyday folks would be using for stews, soups or one-pot meals."

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