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The Early Archaic to Middle Archaic Transition in Florida: an Argument for Discontinuity

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The Early Archaic to Middle Archaic Transition in Florida: an Argument for Discontinuity THE EARLY ARCHAIC TO MIDDLE ARCHAIC TRANSITION IN FLORIDA: AN ARGUMENT FOR DISCONTINUITY MICHAEL K. FAUGHT1 AND JAMES C. WAGGONER, JR.2 1703 Truett Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32303 2. 1997-September, 2009 In Florida, “Kirk” points, in particular “Kirk Serrated,” points rather than excavated from good contexts…,” and have become the key component of an archaeological narrative Austin (2001:35-36) concluded that the lack of Kirk sites with that alleges unbroken human occupational and cultural radiocarbon ages in the Hillsborough drainage is partly due continuity from late Pleistocene (Clovis-related) Paleoindians to the paucity of excavations and archaeological unfamiliarity (PI) to middle Holocene Middle Archaic people along a with the chronozone. These opinions are necessary because simplified series of diagnostic points that include (from oldest there is no good continuous record of deposition in Florida to most recent): Clovis - Suwannee/Simpson - Bolen (Side that would confirm a cultural historical connection between and Corner Notched) - Kirk Serrated - Florida Archaic the two culture historical groups, as we will show. Stemmed - Florida Archaic Stemmed - Newnan. This This “Kirk” problem has interwoven themes, including sequence of changing projectile points was first outlined by population dynamics, variable artifact morphologies, inferred Bullen (1975:6; Farr 2006:26), and it is presented as narrative cultural-historical relationships, a cacophony of typological in the two textbooks on Florida archaeology (Milanich nomenclatures, and, not to mention, entrenched doctrines. 1994:63-64; Milanich and Fairbanks 1980:48-51; 54), as well We tackle the problem by outlining evidence for both culture as in the culture history background section of most research histories, showing with a robust sample of radiocarbon assays reports (e.g., Austin 2006:9; Daniel and Wisenbaker 1987:151; that there are no sites indicating the presence of people in Tesar and Jones 2004:28-30). Florida between, roughly 9000 B.P. (~ 10,200 cal B.P.), or As we expand below, the Clovis - Suwannee/Simpson a little later, and ca. 8,000 B.P. (~ 9000 cal B.P.), or a little - Bolen (Side and Corner Notched) part of the narrative earlier, a period of more than 1200 calibrated years. We offer can be buttressed with abundant artifact similarities, several two stratigraphic situations with lacunae between PI-EA and stratigraphic occurrences, and some radiocarbon ages. MA chipped stone assemblages, and we note a weak record Likewise, the Kirk Serrated - Florida Archaic Stemmed of overlap in Florida Master Site File (FMSF) data that is (Levy/Alachua/Putnam /Marion) - Newnan part of the consistent with our thesis. We discuss the facts that corner- narrative can be shown to have stratigraphic examples with notched “Kirk” points overlap in time and morphology with radiocarbon ages and abundant associated artifacts of bone, Bolen notched points, and that stemmed “Kirk Serrated” wood, and fabric; the early part of this sequence is characterized points in Florida are of many diverse shapes not always by peat/pond cemeteries, while the latter is marked by burials consistent with the definitions of “Kirk Serrated” intended by in sand/shell. What we are calling into question is the presence either Joffre Coe (1964:71-72) or Ripley Bullen (1975:37). of people in Florida between the Early Archaic (EA) and Furthermore, the specimens of interest are few, and mostly Middle Archaic (MA) culture histories, between roughly 9000 known from later MA contexts, not earlier PI-EA ones where and 8000 B.P. (~10,200 and ~9000 cal B.P.) as well as the they are expected. corollary that there is an ancestor/descendant relationship We infer from all of this that there is a lack of evidence between the two culture histories that is linked by Florida’s from “good contexts” because there is a lack of “good contexts” “Kirk Serrated” points. with evidence for occupational and cultural continuity, and that We are not the first to notice a possible paucity of post-9000 in this case the absence of evidence is evidence of the absence B.P. “Kirk” sites in Florida. Thirty years ago paleontologist S. people. We also argue that the two different culture groups David Webb (1981:116) proposed that these early Holocene were not culturally related based on different characteristics populations were seeking resources to replace the megafauna of chipped stone industries and burial traditions, regardless of that had died off at the end of the Pleistocene, and that they were whether or not there was a temporal hiatus between the two. probably at the coastlines of those times, on paleolandscapes that are now underwater on the continental shelf. Widmer Evidence from Florida for Paleoindians and Early (1988:64-6), noting the lack of “Kirks” in southern Florida, Archaic People: Clovis - Suwannee/Simpson - offered that there were no people farther south during this time Bolen (Side and Corner Notched) because of environmental deterioration. Milanich (1994:63- 64) related that “…stone tools believed to be early Archaic In Florida the sequence for late Pleistocene and early have been surface collected with early Archaic projectile Holocene human population continuity is buttressed with VOL. 65 (3) THE FLORIDA ANTHROPOLOGIST SPTEMBER 2012 154 THE FLORIDA ANTHROPOLOGIST 2012 VOL. 65(3) relatively abundant evidence from isolated finds of diagnostic Florida include two worked stakes on the edge of the basin that points, including fluted points, unfluted lanceolate points, drops into the sinkhole at Little Salt Springs, averaging 9550 + and both side- and corner-notched points, stratigraphic 95 B.P. (11,200 – 10,550 cal B.P.; Clausen et al. 1979). To date, occurrences, and some associated radiocarbon ages (Dunbar no diagnostic chipped stone artifacts, especially projectile 1991, 2006; Dunbar and Hemmings 2004; Thulman 2007; see points, have been reported from there, but wood, antler, and Table 1). In addition, we have compiled and illustrated a list bone artifacts are known. Gifford and Koski (2011) recently of radiocarbon ages that include those recently published by published an age estimate on wood associated with a worked Dasovich and Doran (2011), as well as some others that allow antler artifact from the basin at Little Salt Springs of 9240 + illumination of the sequence of radiocarbon dated PI-EA sites 60 (10,570 – 10,250 cal B.P.). Another age estimate on an oak and their associated point types. mortar at Little Salt Springs of 9080 + 250 B.P. (10,600 - 9800 Even though the tortoise shell and stick-like stake at cal B.P.) is intriguing, but it has a large standard deviation that Little Salt Springs (Clausen et al. 1979) are often referred to reduces its usefulness. At the Wakulla Springs Lodge Site, as pre-Clovis in Florida, unequivocal pre-Clovis ages come the Bolen occupation is secure by a two age average of 9300 from Page/Ladson (site numbers are given in Table 1 and + 28 B.P. (10,570 - 10,430 cal B.P.; Tesar and Jones 2004). Appendix I, site locations in Figure 1a, all radiocarbon ages These ages came from charcoal from levels 10 and 11 in the listed in Appendix I). At Page/Ladson a few chipped stone 2004 excavations. Three other estimates made on charcoal artifacts and a possible cut marked mastodon tusk were found from these levels were rejected by Tesar and Jones (2004:155- in a securely dated geologic bed with ages averaging 12,415 156), including two of approximately 4000 B.P., which are + 37 B.P. (roughly 14,400 cal B.P.1; Dunbar 2006; Kendrick egregiously young. The other, on charcoal and dated to 8710 2006; Webb and Dunbar 2006). A younger estimate consistent + 40 (9700 - 9560 cal B.P.), was associated with red ochre that with ages expected for Clovis of 11,050 + 50 B.P. (13,090 – may be indicative of late Bolen presence, but it is the certainly 12,860 cal B.P.) came from an ivory foreshaft found in Sloth most recent among the radiometric assays in this sample. Hole (Hemmings 2004; Waters and Stafford 2007). Diagnostic In addition to the diagnostic projectile points referenced fluted points were found there by early diver collectors as well. here, associated tools include a plethora of unifacial and Unfortunately, there are no radiometric ages for Suwannee bifacial chipped stone tools with regular shapes, as well as and Simpson unfluted lanceolates in Florida, but stratigraphic bone and ivory components (Daniel et al. 1986; Dunbar et al. examples consistent with the presumed sequence include 1989; Hemmings 2004; Purdy 1981; Thulman 2006a). There fluted and unfluted lanceolates associated at Paradise Park is little disagreement that these data support the received (a.k.a Silver Spring), Simpson unfluted lanceolates at Ryan narrative. Finally, a cremation burial was found at Wakulla Harley, and Suwannee and Simpson unfluted lanceolates along Springs Lodge that included a capping of red ochre (Tesar with Bolen Side and Corner Notched points together at Lake and Jones 2004:81-82). This is the only such example from Helen Blazes, Darby Springs; Wakulla Springs, and Harney Florida associated with Bolen, or earlier artifacts. This method Flats (Balsillie et al. 2006; Daniel and Wisenbaker 1987, 1989; of disposing of the dead by fire, also known from Kirk Corner Dolan and Allen 1961; Dunbar et al. 2005; Hemmings 1975; Notched contexts at Ice House Bottom (Chapman 1977:112- Neil 1958; 1964; Purdy 2008:64). 115), contrasts with burials in water as revealed at Windover Two sites in Florida have produced the earliest Holocene more than a thousand calibrated years later, as describe below. ages for notched points. The “Bolen surface” (stratigraphic Unit 5) at Page/Ladson produced 3 contemporaneous ages Evidence in Florida for the Middle Archaic: that averaged 9958 + 36 B.P.
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