Archaeologists have long relied on material proxies of labor organization to identify different s... more Archaeologists have long relied on material proxies of labor organization to identify different social formations. Conventional wisdom holds that specialization is particularly integral in developing hierarchical states, and that hunter-gatherers are typically "generalists" provisioning their immediate household and community. However, archaeological evidence from eastern North America challenges these assumptions in showcasing evidence of specialized production among nonhierarchical societies. Because specialization is now known to exist outside the chiefdom or state, some researchers have questioned its analytical utility. Further, recent approaches to crafting discourage the use of generalizing heuristics (e.g., specialization), and instead center the historical dimensions of community and identity. In this study, we argue that archaeological research on specialization can mature by shifting focus from determinative wholes like hierarchies, to the relationships between crafters and recipients. To demonstrate this point, we present results of a multi-method chemical and petrographic study of Late Woodland (ca. AD 650-1050) and Mississippian (ca. AD 1050-1550) pottery from the Tampa Bay region of Florida. By contextualizing these data within historical relationships between communities and crafters, our study identifies two different forms of ritual specialization among nonhierarchical hunter gatherers; one predicated on religious leadership, the other on securing access to esoteric knowledge and property.
Swift Creek Complicated Stamped pottery from the lower Southeastern U.S. is a premier material fo... more Swift Creek Complicated Stamped pottery from the lower Southeastern U.S. is a premier material for the systematic study of Woodland interactions. Petrographic analysis of Swift Creek pottery was undertaken as part of a research program that integrated materials analyses of pottery, including Neutron Activation Analysis, digital imaging of paddle stamp designs, technological analysis, and absolute dating, to identify patterns of social interaction. Over 200 samples have been thin sectioned from more than two dozen sites across Florida and Georgia, dating between AD 200 and 800. Integrative results indicate that interactions were geographically extensive, but clearly most intensive along particular corridors.
St. Johns pottery is a distinctive Florida ware that occurs in abundance throughout peninsular Fl... more St. Johns pottery is a distinctive Florida ware that occurs in abundance throughout peninsular Florida but rarely outside the state. The St. Johns series is defined by a fabric that contains abundant sponge spicules and a characteristic “chalky” feel when handled (Borremans and Shaak 1986; Goggin 1952:99; Holmes 1894:111-112). The origins of these qualities have been a topic of debate in Florida archaeology for many years (Borremans and Shaak 1986; Cordell and Koski 2003; Crusoe 1971; Espenshade 1983; Rolland and Bond 2003). Two opposing hypotheses have been proposed to explain the presence of spicules: “naturally-present” and “added-temper.” Some argue that St. Johns pottery was produced with clays that had spicules naturally occurring within them (e.g., Borremans and Shaak 1986; Cordell and Koski 2003), while others claim that spicules were intentionally added as temper to enhance the working properties of the clay (e.g., Rolland and Bond 2003). Systematic attempts to collect clay...
A technological analysis was carried out on Weeden Island pottery from the North Florida McKeithe... more A technological analysis was carried out on Weeden Island pottery from the North Florida McKeithen site and on locally available clays. The investigation was directed toward identification of the number and kinds of clay resources selected for manufacture of the pottery samples. It was found that a minimum of 11 discrete clay resources were consistently utilized in the manufacture of the pottery, and that over half of the sources appear to have been locally acquired. With respect to particular types of pottery represented in the sample, it was suggested that the majority of all non-spiculite (non-St. Johns or Papys Bayou) pottery at the site was made of local clays. A significant proportion of Weeden Island Incised ceramics is thought to be nonlocal with northwest Florida or southwest Georgia origins. Much of the Weeden Island Zoned Red pottery also appears to be nonlocal, although a tentative origin area could not be suggested. East Florida and the Central Peninsular Gulf Coast reg...
A B S T R A C T The lowland Maya city of Nixtun-Ch'ich' (Petén, Guatemala) exhibits an at... more A B S T R A C T The lowland Maya city of Nixtun-Ch'ich' (Petén, Guatemala) exhibits an atypical gridded layout featuring quadrilateral blocks of architectural construction, established in the Middle Preclassic period (~ 800–500 BCE). Early levels of some excavated structures revealed unusual dark-colored, sticky sediments used as architectural footings overlying limestone bedrock and as adhesives for binding construction stones. Physical, mineralogical, and soil nutrient (chemical) properties of two samples of this material were analyzed. The samples were found to be highly organic (high %LOI), and composed primarily of smectite clay. They are characterized by low green strength, marked swelling when mixed with water, and corresponding shrinkage on drying, suggesting low load-bearing capacity. Chemical analyses revealed a slightly elevated pH of 7.8 and high levels of six soil nutrients but low phosphorus, likely making the material unsatisfactory for agriculture. We conclud...
We describe the curation and use of clay samples as part of the ceramic ecology program at the Fl... more We describe the curation and use of clay samples as part of the ceramic ecology program at the Florida Museum of Natural History's Ceramic Technology Laboratory (FLMNH-CTL). We outline the history of the comparative clay sample collection at the FLMNH-CTL and detail the standard operating procedure by which samples are processed, analyzed, and curated. We also provide examples of how the clay samples have been used in research projects as well as some of the challenges inherent to studies using such samples. Our collection of processed clays and associated thin sections, which is curated in perpetuity, represents a valuable resource for ongoing and future lab endeavors and is available to other researchers focusing on Florida and adjacent regions.
Abstract We report the results of a petrographic analysis of pottery from Kolomoki, a Middle and ... more Abstract We report the results of a petrographic analysis of pottery from Kolomoki, a Middle and Late Woodland period mound and village complex in southwestern Georgia. Thin sections of 65 sherds representing several prestige and utilitarian Weeden Island pottery types, from both domestic (midden) and ceremonial (mound) contexts, were obtained. For comparison, we also analyzed samples from a few potential clay sources. We characterize the range of variability in paste/resource groupings present in the Kolomoki assemblage and use these data to address patterns of manufacture and exchange of Weeden Island pottery through comparisons to thin sections of comparable types from the McKeithen site and other Weeden Island sites in the region.
Southeastern Section - 60th Annual Meeting (23–25 March 2011). Paper No. 5-2, Presentation Time: ... more Southeastern Section - 60th Annual Meeting (23–25 March 2011). Paper No. 5-2, Presentation Time: 8:25 AM-8:45 AM. THE USE OF SILICEOUS MICROFOSSILS IN TRACING POTTERY MANUFACTURING ORIGINS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. ...
A case study is presented to test the notion that minority pottery types from 16th century contex... more A case study is presented to test the notion that minority pottery types from 16th century contexts at the Fountain of Youth (FOY) site in St. Augustine reflect population movements from the north that preceded major political reorganizations in the region. Petrographic methods are employed to trace the manufacturing origins of early historic period aboriginal pottery in northeast Florida.
Fragments of siliceous microfossils, including sponge spicules, opal phytoliths, and, most notably, diatoms, were identified in the matrix of some early historic period aboriginal pottery from FOY, as well as in some clay samples from the coastal region of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Diatom taxa are identified and their spatial distribution is assessed. The distribution of microfossils
supports the nonlocal manufacturing origins of some samples from St. Augustine and conform to expectations
about the historic movement of certain aboriginal groups to the settlement.
Archaeologists have long relied on material proxies of labor organization to identify different s... more Archaeologists have long relied on material proxies of labor organization to identify different social formations. Conventional wisdom holds that specialization is particularly integral in developing hierarchical states, and that hunter-gatherers are typically "generalists" provisioning their immediate household and community. However, archaeological evidence from eastern North America challenges these assumptions in showcasing evidence of specialized production among nonhierarchical societies. Because specialization is now known to exist outside the chiefdom or state, some researchers have questioned its analytical utility. Further, recent approaches to crafting discourage the use of generalizing heuristics (e.g., specialization), and instead center the historical dimensions of community and identity. In this study, we argue that archaeological research on specialization can mature by shifting focus from determinative wholes like hierarchies, to the relationships between crafters and recipients. To demonstrate this point, we present results of a multi-method chemical and petrographic study of Late Woodland (ca. AD 650-1050) and Mississippian (ca. AD 1050-1550) pottery from the Tampa Bay region of Florida. By contextualizing these data within historical relationships between communities and crafters, our study identifies two different forms of ritual specialization among nonhierarchical hunter gatherers; one predicated on religious leadership, the other on securing access to esoteric knowledge and property.
Swift Creek Complicated Stamped pottery from the lower Southeastern U.S. is a premier material fo... more Swift Creek Complicated Stamped pottery from the lower Southeastern U.S. is a premier material for the systematic study of Woodland interactions. Petrographic analysis of Swift Creek pottery was undertaken as part of a research program that integrated materials analyses of pottery, including Neutron Activation Analysis, digital imaging of paddle stamp designs, technological analysis, and absolute dating, to identify patterns of social interaction. Over 200 samples have been thin sectioned from more than two dozen sites across Florida and Georgia, dating between AD 200 and 800. Integrative results indicate that interactions were geographically extensive, but clearly most intensive along particular corridors.
St. Johns pottery is a distinctive Florida ware that occurs in abundance throughout peninsular Fl... more St. Johns pottery is a distinctive Florida ware that occurs in abundance throughout peninsular Florida but rarely outside the state. The St. Johns series is defined by a fabric that contains abundant sponge spicules and a characteristic “chalky” feel when handled (Borremans and Shaak 1986; Goggin 1952:99; Holmes 1894:111-112). The origins of these qualities have been a topic of debate in Florida archaeology for many years (Borremans and Shaak 1986; Cordell and Koski 2003; Crusoe 1971; Espenshade 1983; Rolland and Bond 2003). Two opposing hypotheses have been proposed to explain the presence of spicules: “naturally-present” and “added-temper.” Some argue that St. Johns pottery was produced with clays that had spicules naturally occurring within them (e.g., Borremans and Shaak 1986; Cordell and Koski 2003), while others claim that spicules were intentionally added as temper to enhance the working properties of the clay (e.g., Rolland and Bond 2003). Systematic attempts to collect clay...
A technological analysis was carried out on Weeden Island pottery from the North Florida McKeithe... more A technological analysis was carried out on Weeden Island pottery from the North Florida McKeithen site and on locally available clays. The investigation was directed toward identification of the number and kinds of clay resources selected for manufacture of the pottery samples. It was found that a minimum of 11 discrete clay resources were consistently utilized in the manufacture of the pottery, and that over half of the sources appear to have been locally acquired. With respect to particular types of pottery represented in the sample, it was suggested that the majority of all non-spiculite (non-St. Johns or Papys Bayou) pottery at the site was made of local clays. A significant proportion of Weeden Island Incised ceramics is thought to be nonlocal with northwest Florida or southwest Georgia origins. Much of the Weeden Island Zoned Red pottery also appears to be nonlocal, although a tentative origin area could not be suggested. East Florida and the Central Peninsular Gulf Coast reg...
A B S T R A C T The lowland Maya city of Nixtun-Ch'ich' (Petén, Guatemala) exhibits an at... more A B S T R A C T The lowland Maya city of Nixtun-Ch'ich' (Petén, Guatemala) exhibits an atypical gridded layout featuring quadrilateral blocks of architectural construction, established in the Middle Preclassic period (~ 800–500 BCE). Early levels of some excavated structures revealed unusual dark-colored, sticky sediments used as architectural footings overlying limestone bedrock and as adhesives for binding construction stones. Physical, mineralogical, and soil nutrient (chemical) properties of two samples of this material were analyzed. The samples were found to be highly organic (high %LOI), and composed primarily of smectite clay. They are characterized by low green strength, marked swelling when mixed with water, and corresponding shrinkage on drying, suggesting low load-bearing capacity. Chemical analyses revealed a slightly elevated pH of 7.8 and high levels of six soil nutrients but low phosphorus, likely making the material unsatisfactory for agriculture. We conclud...
We describe the curation and use of clay samples as part of the ceramic ecology program at the Fl... more We describe the curation and use of clay samples as part of the ceramic ecology program at the Florida Museum of Natural History's Ceramic Technology Laboratory (FLMNH-CTL). We outline the history of the comparative clay sample collection at the FLMNH-CTL and detail the standard operating procedure by which samples are processed, analyzed, and curated. We also provide examples of how the clay samples have been used in research projects as well as some of the challenges inherent to studies using such samples. Our collection of processed clays and associated thin sections, which is curated in perpetuity, represents a valuable resource for ongoing and future lab endeavors and is available to other researchers focusing on Florida and adjacent regions.
Abstract We report the results of a petrographic analysis of pottery from Kolomoki, a Middle and ... more Abstract We report the results of a petrographic analysis of pottery from Kolomoki, a Middle and Late Woodland period mound and village complex in southwestern Georgia. Thin sections of 65 sherds representing several prestige and utilitarian Weeden Island pottery types, from both domestic (midden) and ceremonial (mound) contexts, were obtained. For comparison, we also analyzed samples from a few potential clay sources. We characterize the range of variability in paste/resource groupings present in the Kolomoki assemblage and use these data to address patterns of manufacture and exchange of Weeden Island pottery through comparisons to thin sections of comparable types from the McKeithen site and other Weeden Island sites in the region.
Southeastern Section - 60th Annual Meeting (23–25 March 2011). Paper No. 5-2, Presentation Time: ... more Southeastern Section - 60th Annual Meeting (23–25 March 2011). Paper No. 5-2, Presentation Time: 8:25 AM-8:45 AM. THE USE OF SILICEOUS MICROFOSSILS IN TRACING POTTERY MANUFACTURING ORIGINS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. ...
A case study is presented to test the notion that minority pottery types from 16th century contex... more A case study is presented to test the notion that minority pottery types from 16th century contexts at the Fountain of Youth (FOY) site in St. Augustine reflect population movements from the north that preceded major political reorganizations in the region. Petrographic methods are employed to trace the manufacturing origins of early historic period aboriginal pottery in northeast Florida.
Fragments of siliceous microfossils, including sponge spicules, opal phytoliths, and, most notably, diatoms, were identified in the matrix of some early historic period aboriginal pottery from FOY, as well as in some clay samples from the coastal region of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Diatom taxa are identified and their spatial distribution is assessed. The distribution of microfossils
supports the nonlocal manufacturing origins of some samples from St. Augustine and conform to expectations
about the historic movement of certain aboriginal groups to the settlement.
A marked resurgence in the use of petrography to answer archaeological questions has resulted in ... more A marked resurgence in the use of petrography to answer archaeological questions has resulted in the formation of Ceramic Petrographers in the Americas (CPA), a group that seeks to promote, discuss, and develop ceramic petrography in archaeology. While CPA members physically reside in the Americas, our research spans the globe both temporally and geographically as illustrated by the posters to be presented. The goal of this session is to provide a venue for the discussion and advancement of ceramic petrography and other characterization techniques among petrographers of all skill levels. In this session, ceramic petrography is used in a variety of archaeological cases to investigate social processes (i.e., cultural continuity, identity, migration, and mortuary behavior) by drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data related to raw material selection, ceramic technology, and provenance, as well as highlight additional sourcing techniques (e.g., SEM, EDX, XRF, and INAA) and tools (i.e., digital image analysis, ethnographic interviews, and experimental archaeology) currently used by petrographers.
From the Press: Methods, Mounds, and Missions offers innovative ways of looking at existing data,... more From the Press: Methods, Mounds, and Missions offers innovative ways of looking at existing data, as well as compelling new information, about Florida’s past. Diverse in scale, topic, time, and region, the volume’s contributions span the late Archaic through historic periods and cover much of the state’s panhandle and peninsula, with forays into the larger Southeast and circum-Caribbean area. Subjects explored in this volume include coastal ring middens, chiefly power and social interaction in mound-building societies, pottery design and production, faunal evidence of mollusk harvesting, missions and missionaries, European iron celts or chisels, Hernando de Soto’s sixteenth-century expedition, and an early nineteenth-century Seminole settlement. The essays incorporate previously underexplored markers of culture histories such as clay sources and non-chert lithic tools and address complex issues such as the entanglement of utilitarian artifacts with sociocultural and ritual realms. Experts in their topical specializations, this volume’s contributors build on the research methods and interpretive approaches of influential anthropologist Jerald Milanich. They update current archaeological interpretations of Florida history, developing and demonstrating the use of new and improved tools to answer broader and larger questions.
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Fragments of siliceous microfossils, including sponge spicules, opal phytoliths, and, most notably, diatoms, were identified in the matrix of some early historic period aboriginal pottery from FOY, as well as in some clay samples from the coastal region of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Diatom taxa are identified and their spatial distribution is assessed. The distribution of microfossils
supports the nonlocal manufacturing origins of some samples from St. Augustine and conform to expectations
about the historic movement of certain aboriginal groups to the settlement.
Fragments of siliceous microfossils, including sponge spicules, opal phytoliths, and, most notably, diatoms, were identified in the matrix of some early historic period aboriginal pottery from FOY, as well as in some clay samples from the coastal region of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Diatom taxa are identified and their spatial distribution is assessed. The distribution of microfossils
supports the nonlocal manufacturing origins of some samples from St. Augustine and conform to expectations
about the historic movement of certain aboriginal groups to the settlement.
Subjects explored in this volume include coastal ring middens, chiefly power and social interaction in mound-building societies, pottery design and production, faunal evidence of mollusk harvesting, missions and missionaries, European iron celts or chisels, Hernando de Soto’s sixteenth-century expedition, and an early nineteenth-century Seminole settlement. The essays incorporate previously underexplored markers of culture histories such as clay sources and non-chert lithic tools and address complex issues such as the entanglement of utilitarian artifacts with sociocultural and ritual realms.
Experts in their topical specializations, this volume’s contributors build on the research methods and interpretive approaches of influential anthropologist Jerald Milanich. They update current archaeological interpretations of Florida history, developing and demonstrating the use of new and improved tools to answer broader and larger questions.