You Know the Place: Identifying a Special-Use Site in a Region Of
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
YOU KNOW THE PLACE: IDENTIFYING A SPECIAL-USE SITE IN A REGION OF ENDURING BIOTIC RICHNESS by Lauren Anne Walls B.S., College of Charleston, 2007 A thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences The University of West Florida In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts 2014 ©2014 Lauren Anne Walls ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis is the result of more than two years of research and field work that would not have been possible without the support of a great many people. First, I would like to thank the members of my committee. To Dr. Ramie Gougeon for always making time for me, giving me leadership opportunities in the field and in the lab, and encouraging me to stay focused above all else. To Cathy Parker for simplifying the complicated world of zooarchaeology, and for all those kind words and anecdotes over coffee and snacks that magically distracted me from the stresses of this project. To Dr. John Worth for getting the float tank that launched me back into my love affair with Paleoethnobotany, for letting me barge into his office with questions and requests, and for making me aware of the importance of my research to the discipline. To Dr. Elizabeth Benchley for abundant financial support throughout two seasons of fieldwork and many months of lab work, covering the costs of modifying the flotation tank, and matching the Scholarly and Creative Activities grant that allowed me to obtain radiocarbon dates for the features at Thompson’s Landing. I could not have stayed here and undertaken this amazing project without that generous support. To Jan Lloyd for hiring me in the lab within my first few months here, and for always making sure that I had a job come rain or shine, Spring Break, summer, or Christmas; you brought me into the fold and under your wing. To Jen Melcher for all those graphics, spreadsheets, ceramic IDs, chocolate, and Tylenol; you cured all my headaches. To the field crew and lab workers that excavated and helped process the material for this project; I couldn’t have done it alone. iv To Steve Mclin, Roberto Delasantos, and Fritz Sharar of UWF Marine Services Center for their patience with me during the flotation tank modification; I will never forget the beauty and simplicity of a test plug or quick release valve- even if I can’t pick the right one out at the hardware store. Thanks to my fellow graduate students, especially Sarah Sexton, Sarah Bennett, Patricia McMahon, Lindsey Cochran, Colin Bean; Your help in the field and lab helped make this project a huge success. To James Burkhalter for educating me on the tenets of scientific botany, local plant life, and the natural communities on campus. To Adam Harvey, for taking a chance and accompanying me on this whirlwind journey with me; this would have been a lonely road without you. To my father, Allan Walls for always lending a helping hand, words of advice, and never letting me think that I couldn’t achieve a goal. I dedicate this thesis to my mother, Judith Walls, who pushed me to fully realize my potential. Through the process of coming back to school and undertaking this research project I have realized what is to be a disciplined and dedicated scientist. I now have the confidence and know-how that I need to purse my career as a professional archaeologist. Thank you for the encouragement that you gave me in your final days; even though it took a few years to get the ball rolling, I did it! v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................x ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Research Questions and Goals .....................................................................1 Previous Research ........................................................................................2 Recent Research ...........................................................................................4 Interpretive Framework ...............................................................................6 Thesis Outline ..............................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2: ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ..................................................................9 Physiography, Topography, and Geology .................................................10 Modern Climate .........................................................................................12 Natural Communities .................................................................................12 Mesic Hammock ........................................................................................14 Sandhills .....................................................................................................15 Floodplain Swamp and Floodplain Forest .................................................16 Escambia River and Escambia Bay Vertebrate and Invertebrate Fauna ....17 Environmental Summary ...........................................................................21 CHAPTER 3: REGIONAL CHRONOLOGY AND CULTURE HISTORY ...................22 Introduction ................................................................................................22 Woodland Stage (1000 B.C. to A.D. 1000) ...............................................22 Deptford .....................................................................................................25 Santa Rosa-Swift Creek .............................................................................27 Weeden Island ............................................................................................28 The Mississippi Stage (A.D. 1000- A.D. 1450) .........................................30 Pensacola....................................................................................................32 CHAPTER 4: FIELD AND LAB METHODS ..................................................................35 Introduction and Background ....................................................................35 Remote Sensing and Gridded Survey ........................................................38 Unit Excavation and Sample Collection ....................................................41 vi Flotation Tank and Associated Procedures ................................................44 Zooarchaeological Methods .......................................................................53 Radiocarbon Dating ...................................................................................58 CHAPTER 5: RESULTS ...................................................................................................61 Feature 550.................................................................................................63 Feature 551.................................................................................................70 Feature 552.................................................................................................78 Feature 556.................................................................................................90 Feature 557.................................................................................................97 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ....................................................103 Feature 550 and 551 .................................................................................109 Feature 552...............................................................................................114 Feature 556...............................................................................................119 Feature 557...............................................................................................122 Conclusions ..............................................................................................124 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................127 APPENDIXES .................................................................................................................136 A. Vertebrate and Invertebrate species ....................................................138 B. Plant species ........................................................................................140 vii LIST OF TABLES 1. Cultural Sequence for Northwest Florida ..............................................................22 2. Soil Sample Provenience and Volume ...................................................................44 3. Specimens in Comparative Ethnobotanical Collection..........................................52 4. Constant Values for Estimated Biomass Calculations ...........................................57 5. Radiocarbon Sample Data ......................................................................................59 6. General Feature Characteristics .............................................................................61 7. Contents of Column Sample ..................................................................................63 8. Faunal Assemblage from