Reptiles Rule: Patterns of Prehistoric Consumption in the Interior of Southern Florida
Author(s): Carolyn Rock; Meggan Blessing; Nicole Cannarozzi; Arlene Fradkin; Michelle LeFebvre
Year: 2016
Summary
This poster discusses patterns of prehistoric consumption in light of results from recent archaeological investigations at black earth middens in the interior of southern Florida. The amount of faunal remains recovered from these sites may represent the largest single zooarchaeological project ever conducted for this region. More than 350,000 animal bones were identified from six sites, whose occupation dates ranged from the Archaic to Historic periods. Identified fauna revealed the overwhelming importance of reptiles, especially snakes and turtles, to the diet. Overall ratios of identified specimens by class included 76% Reptilia (reptiles), 21% Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes), 2% Amphibia (amphibians), 1% Mammalia (mammals), 0.4% Aves (birds), and 0.1% Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes). Changes in consumption practices over time, as well as potential trading or seasonal migration patterns, will be discussed.
Cite this Record
Reptiles Rule: Patterns of Prehistoric Consumption in the Interior of Southern Florida. Carolyn Rock, Meggan Blessing, Nicole Cannarozzi, Arlene Fradkin, Michelle LeFebvre. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 404758)
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Keywords
General
Faunal
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Florida
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Zooarchaeology
Geographic Keywords
North America - Southeast
Spatial Coverage
min long: -91.274; min lat: 24.847 ; max long: -72.642; max lat: 36.386 ;