The South Florida Mystery Canoe

Summary

Florida has the largest collection of prehistoric dugout canoes in the world. The state also has a large collection of historic dugouts, some of which pose interesting challenges in terms of identification. In particular, one mysterious and distinctive historic dugout canoe type is exhibited in three examples from south Florida, one from the Everglades, another from the Florida Keys, and the last reportedly found near Key Biscayne. These canoes are characterized by a robust hull, carved thwart receptacles, and a mast step situated well forward of amidships. They represent some of the few  historic sailing dugouts recorded in Florida. This paper will discuss the design characteristics, common features, recovery locations, and known proveniences of these canoes, and will offer potential answers to questions of temporal and cultural affiliation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2018   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 924