How Is Tabby Made

Tabby is a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to create lime, then mixing it with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells. Tabby was used by early Spanish settlers in present-day North Carolina and Florida, then by British colonists primarily in coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

What is tabby material?

Tabby is composed of the lime from burned oyster shells mixed with sand, water, ash, and other shells. As far back as the 1600s, Spanish and English settlers used tabby to build their homes and other structures, and to pave their roads, throughout the coastal Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.

What is a tabby ruin?

Tabby is a building material made from a mixture of ground oyster shells, sand and water. This material was used for buildings on Daufuskie Island, especially on Haig’s Point Plantation.