Rethinking Population Dynamics of the Belle Glade Prehistoric Culture

Author(s): Catherine Smith; Clifford T. Brown

Year: 2016

Summary

The Belle Glade prehistoric culture of central peninsular Florida is very poorly known. Through standard osteological analyses of 78 individuals from Belle Glade Mound (8PB41), type site for the culture, estimates for age, sex, and stature were calculated and observations of dental and skeletal pathologies were noted. Sex could be estimated for 26 males and 25 females. Age distributions varied stratigraphically but were dominated by young adults aged 20-35 and middle adults aged 35-50. The age distribution, particularly the 5p15 ratio, suggested demographic growth for a nonagricultural population showing little skeletal evidence of nutritional distress, perhaps made possible by the abundance of wetland resources in this region.

Cite this Record

Rethinking Population Dynamics of the Belle Glade Prehistoric Culture. Catherine Smith, Clifford T. Brown. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 403270)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -91.274; min lat: 24.847 ; max long: -72.642; max lat: 36.386 ;