Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2012 Sedentism and Subsistence in the Late Archaic: A Study of Seasonality, Quahog Clam Exploitation, and Resource Scheduling Alexandra L. Parsons Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES SEDENTISM AND SUBSISTENCE IN THE LATE ARCHAIC: A STUDY OF SEASONALITY, QUAHOG CLAM EXPLOITATION, AND RESOURCE SCHEDULING By ALEXANDRA L. PARSONS A dissertation submitted to tHe Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of tHe requirements for tHe degree of Doctor of PHilosopHy Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2012 Alexandra L. Parsons defended tHis dissertation on MarcH 1, 2012 The members of the supervisory committee were: RocHelle A. Marrinan Professor Directing Dissertation Daniel J. Pullen University Representative Glen H. Doran Committee Member Lynne A. Schepartz Committee Member The Graduate ScHool Has verified and approved tHe above‑named committee members, and certifies tHat tHe dissertation Has been approved in accordance witH university requirements. ii © 2012 Alexandra L. Parsons All RigHts Reserved iii This manuscript is dedicated to my mother, Corinne Royce Dewey. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the National Science Foundation for providing me with a Dissertation Improvement Grant. THis grant permitted me to collect tHe modern comparative collection in St. Augustine, and funded much of the chemical analyses. The grant also provided funds for general laboratory supplies needed to conduct the researcH. I would also like to thank the Eisele Foundation for two Eisele Dissertation ResearcH grants. THese grants provided travel funds to borrow arcHaeological collections and to see the Guana sHell ring, and also provided funds for equipment and some of the cHemical analyses. I am greatly indebted to my advisor, RocHelle A. Marrinan, for Her guidance and assistance tHrougHout my tenure at Florida State University. RocHelle Has been an extremely generous advisor and has provided me with many opportunities to further my research and skills. In 2006, Rochelle arranged for me to Help on an excavation at tHe Grand shell ring. This experience resulted in tHe first of several clam seasonality studies, wHicH Have been my primary researcH focus. RocHelle also Helped me to secure an internship on St. CatHerines Island, wHere I got my first glimpse of sHell rings in Georgia. From tHe planning stages of my researcH througH defense of the dissertation, sHe Has always offered sound advice wHenever I encountered a problem. RocHelle Has been extremely Helpful in every aspect of tHis researcH, and sHe even Helped me acquire funds to begin my research. By taking the courses she instructed, conducting researcH and writing reports witH Her, and finisHing tHis dissertation under her guidance I have become a better anthropologist and a better scholar. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know her and working with her, and I cannot thank her enough for all her kindness and support over the years. I would also like to thank the members of my committee, Glen H. Doran and Lynne A ScHepartz, for tHeir tHougHtful comments and suggestions. THis manuscript Has been greatly improved by tHeir participation. Both Glen and Lynne remained on my committee and saw me througH until the end, despite all the tumult, cHanges, and uncertainty for Anthropology graduate students over the past few years. I am extremely grateful to Daniel Pullen, wHo kindly agreed to serve as my University Representative in tHe 11th hour before my defense. I am v very thankful for his participation and for his comments and suggestions. I would also like to thank JosepH DonogHue for His comments and suggestions on this manuscript and my qualifying exams. I am greatly indebted to Irv Quitmyer of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Irv’s exemplary researcH on clam seasonality studies was tHe impetus for tHis dissertation. I have greatly enjoyed our discussions about clam biology and clam use in prehistory. His guidance on creating a modern comparative clam collection and advice about metHodology greatly improved tHis researcH. Irv provided feedback on my National Science Foundation Grant proposal that Helped me to receive funding. Irv also allowed me to use His equipment to conduct isotopic testing and to cross‑section tHe clams. I am very grateful to Him for all His advice, assistance, and good company. I would like to extend my sincerest tHanks to Mike Russo of tHe SoutHeast ArcHeological Center. Six years ago I began working on my Master’s tHesis, and Mike sHowed me How to cross‑section and assess clams for seasonality studies. His extensive work on Late Archaic shell rings in tHe SoutHeast Has generated considerable discussion on tHe topic, and Has served as an important resource for my researcH. Mike generously allowed me to analyze tHe clams from His excavations at Guana in 2001. Mike provided information on tHe excavation and also permitted me to use His maps of tHe Guana sHell ring. I am very grateful for all His advice and assistance over tHe years. I would like to thank Becky Saunders of Louisiana State University. Becky allowed me to analyze the clams from Her excavations at Guana in 2005, and sHe prepared tHe loan for these clams. I would also like to tHank Vicki Rolland, wHo participated in botH excavations at Guana. I first met Vicki during excavations at tHe Grand sHell ring in 2006, and I am always happy to see Her or Hear from Her. Vicki Has always been willing to assist me in any way tHat she could, and for tHat I am truly grateful. I would like to thank Dave THomas for His exceptional researcH on St. Catherines Island and for all His advice, guidance, and generosity. Working witH His crew on tHe McQueen sHell ring and attending two of tHe Caldwell Conferences on St. Catherines provided me with new insigHt into a variety of arcHaeological topics. His researcH on reservoir effects in tHe vi SoutHeastern U.S. and His advice on correcting and re‑calibrating radiocarbon dates were especially Helpful in preparing tHis dissertation. I would like to thank Justin Ellenberger, from the Florida FisH and Wildlife Commission for taking my Husband and me out to see the Guana shell ring. Even though it was a miserable place with more mosquitoes than I’ve ever seen in my life, going out to the site was very helpful. I am especially appreciative of the bug spray he gave us! I am forever indebted to PHil Cubbedge for his assistance in procuring the modern clam collection for this dissertation. PHil not only escorted me into the marsH in St. Augustine, He helped me collect clams in almost every month of 2010. When I began this research I had a lot of book‑knowledge about clams, but tHis information wasn’t very helpful for finding clams in the marsH. WHen I first started collecting clams, I couldn’t tell tHe difference between a crab hole and a clam keyhole, but by December of 2010 I had become a proficient clam gatHerer, thanks to PHil’s instruction. I Have greatly benefitted from PHil’s extensive knowledge, and I have a much broader appreciation for the marsh ecosystem as a result. I would like to thank my friends in TallaHassee for all their support. Katie Miyar, Eduardo Miyar, Ian Pawn, SaraH Liko, Ivy Hepp, Guy Hepp, Julie Byrd, Ryan Duggins, Dan Seinfeld, JosH Englehardt, Ermal Liko, Bridget McDonnell, Giovanna Englehardt, Brew ScHoonover, and Jack Juliet, I am so Happy I got to know all of you and I am very grateful for your commiseration and support throughout this process! Many of you were directly involved in tHis researcH and were extremely Helpful wHen it came to cleaning (i.e., eating) tHe quaHog clams I brougHt back for my research. I greatly enjoyed our clam feasts and your great company. I would like to thank my mom, Corinne Dewey for Her endless support and encouragement during tHis process. I owe my love of books and learning to Her, and I wouldn’t have pursued a graduate degree without Her support. WHile I was conducting tHis research, she always Had sometHing positive to say, even wHen circumstances were difficult. I would also like to tHank my fatHer, Dale Dewey, for all His support and encouragement. I couldn’t have done this without them. vii I would like to thank my sister, Virginia Carr for Her Hard work and assistance in gathering clams for the modern comparative collection. She bravely followed me into the marsH and became an expert clam gatHerer. I would also like to tHank Her for Her untiring sense of Humor tHat got me tHrougH many Hours of analyzing clam sHells. Finally, I would like to thank my Husband, TimotHy Parsons. Tim was tHere during every stage of tHis researcH. He accompanied me out to tHe mosquito‑ridden Guana shell ring and Helped me collect live clams from tHe marsH on several occasions. He even Helped me cook them a few times – despite his hatred of clams. I am really sorry about that batch of clams that went bad – the smell of them steaming open out on our porcH was pretty Horrific! Tim created nearly all of the maps in this dissertation and helped me edit many of tHe drawings. Tim also found a way to smooth out the cross‑sections of rougH cuts on some of tHe clams from tHe modern comparative collection, which was extremely helpful. In addition to all this, Tim was always encouraging, even wHen I didn’t tHink I could possibly finisH tHis dissertation by tHe University’s deadline.