ANT 230 - Florida Archaeology: Florida Indians and Prehistoric People

Credits: 3

Florida Archaeology delves into the times and lives of the “First Floridians,” the state’s original inhabitants, Native American people. We begin with Paleoindians some 15,000 years ago, and end with the Timucua and other late pre-historic tribes who were present in the years bracketing 1513, when Ponce de Leon arrived. The course is structured by time period and several culture/environmental sub-areas that archaeologists have defined through decades of research in the state. We will examine key archaeological sites in each sub-region and consider how they all relate in time and space. We will also consider important foundational research in Florida and the scholars who conducted the work. This provides critical context for research currently being undertaken in the state. In general, the course introduces students to Florida’s richly textured culture history, as a dynamic and ancient cultural “landscape,” with some emphasis on the Northeast region (the so-called “First Coast”) and St. Augustine itself. This course also provides a basic understanding of the cultural evolutionary processes and conditions that linked Florida Indians with other cultures of the greater Southeast region.