Florida Native American Heritage Trail - (Page 6) Native American Presence and Significance in Florida Brenda Swann Project Director, Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage eople first arrived in what is now known as Florida more than 12 millenia ago. At that time, the earth was in an “ice age,” when much of the planet’s water was frozen in glaciers, and sea levels were hundreds of feet lower than today. e land mass of Florida extended 100 miles farther into the Gulf of Mexico, and the climate was cooler and drier than today. Large mammals that are now extinct, such as mastodons, wooly mammoths, giant sloths, and saber-toothed cats, roamed the arid grasslands, along with smaller animals such as deer and turtles. Few clues remain of these PaleoIndians, but thousands of their stone tools survive to demonstrate their ingenuity and creativity. Never staying in one place very long, they hunted large and small game and gathered edible plants. eir hunting success and population increase along with climate change contributed to the extinction of Ice Age big game animals. P About 9,000 years ago, the glaciers began to melt as Florida’s climate became warmer and wetter, and plants and animals in the region became more diverse. Between 7,000 and 6,000 years ago, when our modern forests and wetland environments began to appear, people in central and south Florida practiced a unique custom of burying their dead in wetland cemeteries (see page 23). Around 4,000 years ago, as sea levels and climate approached modern conditions, native people began to depend more on wetland resources such as fish, shellfish, and turtles. ey also developed limited horticulture or small household gardens. Human population increased. Settlements became more seasonal and were usually located near sources of fresh water and raw chert, the stone used for making tools. ese innovative and adaptive people began firing clay to make pottery for storing, preparing, and serving food. Clues to their religious and spiritual beliefs are revealed by burial practices. With the climate change, food and water resources became more abundant. is allowed populations to hunt and gather in one specific area, and people began to live year-round at the same location. Social and political relations became more complex and regionally varied. As early as 2,500 years ago, villages often included low circular mounds for burial of important people. At about the same time, potters began to produce better quality ceramic vessels that were decorated based on cultural preferences, demonstrating the cultural diversity of the region. By 1,000 years ago, people in the Florida panhandle grew corn, beans, and squash in the fertile red clay soils. eir agricultural success supported large and complex societies with permanent towns featuring central plazas, great temple mounds, public buildings, and residences with baked clay walls. e environment in most other parts of Florida could not support large-scale agriculture. e Timeline 12,000 years ago 9,000 years ago 5,000 years ago 3,000 years ago “Paleo Indians” arrive in Florida Large mammals roamed Florida Lower sea level and drier climate Global warming trend melts glaciers and sea levels rise Burial of dead in wetland cemeteries Modern environmental and climatic conditions Production of ceramic vessels begins Population increases and becomes more sedentary 6
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