Velda Mound

Last updated
Velda Mound Archaeological Site
8 LE 44
USA Florida location map.svg
Archaeological site icon (red).svg
Shown within Florida
Location Tallahassee, Florida,  Leon County, Florida, Flag of the United States.svg  USA
Region Leon County, Florida
Coordinates 30°30′4.39″N84°13′19.78″W / 30.5012194°N 84.2221611°W / 30.5012194; -84.2221611
History
Founded1450
Abandoned1625
Cultures Fort Walton Culture, Apalachee
Site notes
Excavation dates1970s, 1980s
Architecture
Architectural styles platform mound
Responsible body: State of Florida

Velda Mound (8LE44) is a Native American archaeological site located in northern Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, United States. The site was first occupied by peoples of the Fort Walton Culture (a regional variation of the Mississippian culture) [1] in the late prehistoric period and during the protohistoric period was part of the extensive Apalachee Province of the panhandle. The site is now owned by the State of Florida and managed as a park.

Contents

History and use

Velda Mound was built in approximately 1450 by Fort Walton peoples and occupied by their descendants the Apalachee until about 1625. [2] [3] The Spanish explorers called this area Apalachee Province in recognition of the tribe's power, a territory which also included the Lake Jackson Mounds and major center of Anhaica . The platform mound is believed to have served as a residence for a village leader, with a village surrounding the mound. The village inhabitants cultivated vegetables in small family plots and farmed large communal farming fields in the area around the village. [3] They cultivated numerous varieties of maize, beans and squash.

Velda Mound was abandoned by indigenous peoples by the beginning of the Spanish Mission Period (ca. 1565). This was most likely the result of their depleting nearby natural resources, such as trees for building homes and for firewood. The soil may have become depleted as well. The people would move to new lands which were more fertile, and allow older areas to recover. No evidence exists showing occupation of the mound by the later Spanish or British colonists.

In March 1922, a Florida State College for Women instructor, Emma Boyd, was killed when a portion of the mound collapsed while she and her friends were excavating it. [4] During the 1950s, the area around the mound was part of the pastures used by the large Velda Dairy operation. During this era, looters continued digging into the mound to search for artifacts, which damaged the mound and altered its structure. The dairy property was later sold for redevelopment as the Arbor Hill residential subdivision. The mound has since been repaired and is now owned by the State of Florida.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park Park in Tallahassee, Florida

Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park (8LE1) is one of the most important archaeological sites in Florida, the capital of chiefdom and ceremonial center of the Fort Walton Culture inhabited from 1050–1500. The complex originally included seven earthwork mounds, a public plaza and numerous individual village residences.

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Apalachee Native American people

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The Fort Walton culture is the term used by archaeologists for a late prehistoric Native American archaeological culture that flourished in southeastern North America from approximately 1200~1500 CE and is associated with the historic Apalachee people.

Leon-Jefferson culture Protohistoric Native American archaeological culture

The Leon-Jefferson Culture is the term used by archaeologists for a protohistoric Native American archaeological culture that flourished in southeastern North America from approximately 1500–1704 CE and is associated with the historic Apalachee people. It was located in and named for the present day Leon and Jefferson counties in northern Florida of the Southeastern United States

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The Suwannee Valley culture is defined as a Late Woodland Southeast period archaeological culture in north Florida, dating from around 750 to European contact. The core area of the culture was found in an area roughly corresponding to present-day Suwannee and southern and central Columbia counties. It was preceded by the McKeithen Weeden Island culture and followed by the Spanish mission period Leon-Jefferson culture.

References

  1. Frank Keel (September 2003). "An archaeological assessment of the Bradfordville Commercial Tract in Leon County, Florida" (PDF). p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-02-14. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  2. "Archaeological Stabilization Guide" (PDF). The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  3. 1 2 "Velda Mound Archaeological Site Leon County, Florida : Conservation Management Plan" (PDF). p. 7.
  4. "Miss Emma Boyd Loses Life in a Most Shocking Way," Tallahassee Democrat, March 18, 1922.