Celebrating Florida Archaeology Month | Florida State Parks

Florida Archaeology Month

March is Florida Archaeology Month.

Learn about Florida’s history through the artifacts and objects found at our state parks.

These items tell the stories of the people who once lived on these lands. Learn about their challenges and their successes while gaining a greater understanding of how they interacted with the natural world. Each of these stories offers a glimpse of the unique perspective of a different time period or group of people in Florida.

Mound platform at Crystal River Archaeological State Park.

Dig Deep Into Archaeology in State Parks

Do you ever think about what’s under your feet? Archaeologists do! Most of what we know about Florida’s long inhabitation by Native Americans comes from the work of archaeologists who carefully uncover buried or hidden artifacts. Florida State Parks protect this archaic evidence and tell the story of the state’s past.

burial, ceremony, native american

Florida's Native Archaeology

For thousands of years, Florida’s history was shaped by Native Americans. From rich political societies to hunter-gatherer tribes, the Native people of Florida were as diverse as the environments in which they thrived.

View from the shell midden trail Hontoon Island

Finding the Meaning of the Owl Totem

In 1955, an owl totem approximately 10 feet tall was discovered in the St. Johns River.

A large limestone rock sits behind a fence enclosure.

Lore of the Limestone

In 1964 two large lime rock stones of significant size were discovered at the Crystal River Archaeological site. These stones were believed to be stelae, carved or inscribed stone slabs or pillars used by ancient peoples for commemorative purposes.

Indian, earth, mound, archaeological, native

Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological Collections

The archaeological artifacts found in Lake Jackson Archaeological State Park have very high cultural significance given the fact that they were recovered from a regional center of Mississippian culture that has greatly contributed to modern understanding of that period.

Indian, earth, mound, archaeological, native

Native American Ceremonial Mound

Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park preserves an archaeological mound complex that includes at least 7 earth mounds. The largest is Florida’s tallest Native American ceremonial mound, which stands at approximately 51 feet tall and 300 feet wide at the base.

A view of two people walking up the stairs towards the mound.

Exploring Madira Bickel Mound

While this park is small, it is home to thousands of years of history. Visitors can see a piece of the living history by visiting the park’s main attraction, the Native American mound.

Mound Key Archaeological State Park

Discovering Calusa Shell Tools

Some of the most commonly found Calusa artifacts are shell tools, including shell hammers and axes.

Spadefish at the San Pedro

Experience the Treasures at the San Pedro

The San Pedro Shipwreck is a special place for photographers and fish watchers alike. Although this site is protected from treasure hunting by Florida law, there are several experiences you can treasure when visiting the site.

Picture of Mammoth

Discovering Mammoth Bones at Silver Springs

The discovery of mammoth skeletons led to an underwater archaeology expedition in the 1970s.

Interpretive sign about the Nocoroco village

Discovering the Tomoka Mound Complex

This archaeological site is a large complex of primarily burial mounds that date to over 5,000 years ago.

Coquina Rock with moss

Mystery of the Midden

We can learn much about humans through their diet. Food is necessary to sustain life, but is also something we delight in.