JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 20 University of North Florida archaeology students are spending their summer digging deep in the dirt at the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.
This project marks the beginning of a large-scale collaboration between UNF and the National Park Service (NPS). The results of their research and tests, along with other archaeological work at the site will contribute to understanding of the Indigenous people and the environment of northeastern Florida approximately 800 to 1,000 years ago.
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The team is led by Dr. Keith Ashley, an UNF archaeology professor who has worked to uncover local history for over 20 years, and recent UNF anthropology graduate Victoria Hayes, who is interning for the NPS and has been accepted in the University of Florida’s PhD program.
The site consists of large mounds and ridges of densely packed shell-midden refuse. The team is currently excavating a long trench through one of the shell ridges and testing other shell formations. They are also using a total station to create detailed topographic maps of the shell formations.
“We want to understand if these unique formations are intentional human-made architecture or mere piles of refuse and how the Indigenous people were using this area,” said Ashley.
The massive piles of shells and other cultural materials were deposited about 1,000 years ago. Testing of these shell formations has uncovered artifacts, mostly consisting of Indigenous pottery. St. Johns — a chalky ware tempered with the spicules of freshwater sponges — is most common, with check stamped and plain surface decorations. One test had a considerable amount of San Marcos pottery, likely associated with the 17th-century Mocama community of Guadalquini located to the south. In addition to shell and pottery, the bones of fish, deer, turtles and other animals have been recovered by UNF students this summer.
The research happening this summer began May 13 and students will be in the field digging five days a week through June 14. Next summer, the team plans to return to the site and continue to uncover history.
