Once There Was A Mound . . . Robert Austin, Ph.D., Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education, Inc. During the third week of July 1950, bulldozers began chewing away at the sides of a large shell mound in downtown St. Petersburg, bringing to an end a once iconic landmark. During the city’s early…
Deep Sea Archaeology Dr. James Delgado, Maritime Archaeologist The deep ocean is one of the last unexplored frontiers in archaeology. Maritime archaeologist James Delgado takes us on a tour of the technology, expeditions and discoveries, including Titanic, lost World War II wrecks, and 19th century ships at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. These…
Investigations into the Archaeology of the Anclote River Region Phyllis E. Kolianos, AWIARE Within Central Peninsula Gulf Coast, the archaeology of the Anclote River is understudied and underreported relative to other population centers. In the late 1800s, S. T. Walker and F. H. Cushing noted the importance of the mounds and pre-Columbian sites on the…
Remembering Tocobaga: Recent Archaeology at the Safety Harbor Site in Philippe Park Dr. Thomas Pluckhahn is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida The Safety Harbor archaeology site (8PI2) in Philippe Park is widely assumed to represent the ruins of the Native town of Tocobaga, where the Spanish briefly…
Digital Storytelling and the Past, Present and Future of Egmont Key Laura Harrison, PhD, Director, Access 3D Lab, University of South Florida Egmont Key is a diminutive island located at the confluence of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. Because of its strategic location, the island played a significant role in Florida’s history. It…
The First Floridians and the First Floods: How environmental changes have constrained Florida archaeology and how underwater archaeology promises to help Dr. Jessi Halligan, Florida State University The earliest known archaeological site in Florida, Page-Ladson, dates to approximately 14,550 years ago, but it is located on what was the edge of a small pond in…
Adventures in Downtown Tampa Archaeology – The Lost Fort Brooke Cemetery and 100-Year-Old Love Letters to the Steamer Gopher Eric Prendergast, M.A. RPA, Senior Staff Archaeologist, Cardno Almost everywhere you dig in southern downtown Tampa, near the waterfront, there are some remains from the infamous military installation that gave rise to the town of Tampa…
Ethnoarchaeology of Ancient Fishing Practices: Insights from the Florida Gulf Coast Giness J. Mahar, Phd, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida Millions of people venture out into Florida’s coastal waters each year to take part in an ancient practice: fishing. Whether for commercial or recreational purposes fishing has deep roots in the region -…