Notes from the Field: 5 Things I Learned at Pineland
Last week, I was invited down to help our Southwest office with some programming. While I was there I had the pleasure of visiting the Pineland site! This site was the second largest Calusa town - once encompassing over 100 acres - and was home to the Calusa from around 500 to 1700 AD. The Randell Research Center protects many of the features that still stand today on its 67 acres, including numerous mounds, middens and canals.
Here's 5 cool things I learned on my visit:
1. The shell mounds contain tons of whelk shells.
Spending so much time on the northeast coast of Florida, I thought I knew what to expect from a shell mound. However, I was blown away by all of the whelk shells at Pineland! In NE FL, we have mostly oyster at our marine sites, and freshwater snails along the St. Johns River. We do find other types of shells including quahog claim, whelk and conch, razor claims and many more. But never had I seen so many whelks!
2. Archaeologists uncovered evidence of hurricanes in the archaeological record.
While it will come as no surprise to anyone that hurricanes swept through Florida in the past, it is amazing to me to fine out we have solid archaeological evidence of one such occurrence. Archaeologists found evidence of flooding as well as shellfish and drowned animals far enough inland to suggest a pretty big storm surge hit the island around 1,650 years ago.
3. Smith Mound was protected from destructed by Mr. Smith. And his shotgun.
Around the turn of the century, new settlers to the area harvested the mounds at Pineland for sand and shell to use as fill material, as happened to many sites here in Northeast Florida. Shells were particularly sought after for use as roadbed construction and many sites across the state were basically destroyed because of these activities. However, Mr. Smith owned his namesake mound at the time and did not want anyone on his property hauling away the sand mound. As the story goes, he sat on the top of the mound with his rifle to keep away the work crew hired by his neighbor.
4. The Calusa moved some serious earth.
I had read about the large site and extensive canal system, but seeing it in person gives a totally different perspective! The inhabitants of Pineland built tall mounds and dug huge ponds. They completed changed the landscape of the island to their liking. And much of this infrastructure can still be seen today.
5. The archaeology at Pineland gives us lots of information on environmental changes and human adaptations - something to reflect upon as we face this ourselves.
Because people lived at Pineland for so long, archaeologists are able to look at a long record of environmental data paired with the actions (or often, reactions) of humans living at the time. Archaeologists have been able to understand how Pine Island itself changed through time. They have clues as to how humans dealt with these changes including retreating inland as shoreline occurred and elevating structures and cemeteries to combat flooding; both strategies are being explored today as we face similar issues.
For more information on Pineland, check out the Florida Museum's collection from Pineland, or plan your own visit to the Randall Research Center at Pineland.
Text and images by Emily Jane Murray, FPAN Staff.
Here's 5 cool things I learned on my visit:
1. The shell mounds contain tons of whelk shells.
Spending so much time on the northeast coast of Florida, I thought I knew what to expect from a shell mound. However, I was blown away by all of the whelk shells at Pineland! In NE FL, we have mostly oyster at our marine sites, and freshwater snails along the St. Johns River. We do find other types of shells including quahog claim, whelk and conch, razor claims and many more. But never had I seen so many whelks!
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| One huge pile of whelks and conches! (and lots of other important information) |
2. Archaeologists uncovered evidence of hurricanes in the archaeological record.
While it will come as no surprise to anyone that hurricanes swept through Florida in the past, it is amazing to me to fine out we have solid archaeological evidence of one such occurrence. Archaeologists found evidence of flooding as well as shellfish and drowned animals far enough inland to suggest a pretty big storm surge hit the island around 1,650 years ago.
 |
| Artist's interpretation of a post-storm Pineland. |
3. Smith Mound was protected from destructed by Mr. Smith. And his shotgun.
Around the turn of the century, new settlers to the area harvested the mounds at Pineland for sand and shell to use as fill material, as happened to many sites here in Northeast Florida. Shells were particularly sought after for use as roadbed construction and many sites across the state were basically destroyed because of these activities. However, Mr. Smith owned his namesake mound at the time and did not want anyone on his property hauling away the sand mound. As the story goes, he sat on the top of the mound with his rifle to keep away the work crew hired by his neighbor.
4. The Calusa moved some serious earth.
I had read about the large site and extensive canal system, but seeing it in person gives a totally different perspective! The inhabitants of Pineland built tall mounds and dug huge ponds. They completed changed the landscape of the island to their liking. And much of this infrastructure can still be seen today.
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| Brown's Mound, the tallest at the site, stands around 30ft today but was once much larger. |
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| One of the mortuary mounds was encircled with a pond. |
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| The main Pineland canal once stretched 2.5 miles, clear across Pine Island. |
5. The archaeology at Pineland gives us lots of information on environmental changes and human adaptations - something to reflect upon as we face this ourselves.
Because people lived at Pineland for so long, archaeologists are able to look at a long record of environmental data paired with the actions (or often, reactions) of humans living at the time. Archaeologists have been able to understand how Pine Island itself changed through time. They have clues as to how humans dealt with these changes including retreating inland as shoreline occurred and elevating structures and cemeteries to combat flooding; both strategies are being explored today as we face similar issues.
For more information on Pineland, check out the Florida Museum's collection from Pineland, or plan your own visit to the Randall Research Center at Pineland.
Text and images by Emily Jane Murray, FPAN Staff.