A Chronological Outline for the Northwest Florida Coast

Abstract

The northwestern part of Florida is a strip of land about 225 miles long, extending from Pensacola Bay to Apalachee Bay, in which are recognized two physiographic regions, “Flatwoods and Hammock Lands,” along the coast, and “Southern Pine Hills,” inland. The coastal region, in which are located most of the sites to be considered, is quite flat and of uniformly low elevation, and includes several contrasting types of landscape. The greater part of the land is occupied by the flatwoods or open groves of longleaf and other pines interspersed with grassy meadows and the hammock lands, which support a denser vegetation characterized by palmetto and hardwoods. Along the major rivers are swamps through which wind creeks and bayous.

Test Excavations at the Lake Jackson Site

“…The Fort Walton Period was defined by Willey and Woodbury in 1942, and covered the late prehistoric and early historic sites on the northwest Florida coast which follow the Weeden Island Period in time (Willey and Woodbury, 1942). Since this definition of the period, Hale G. Smith has defined the Leon-Jefferson Period in the same area to cover the sites of the Spanish mission era (Smith 1948).…”

The Weeden Island Culture: A Preliminary Definition

“…I know of no large Weeden Island collections from sites south of the Little Manatee, although occasional typical sherds of Weeden Island incised and punctated types have been found. To the east, within the Florida peninsula, » Willey and Woodbury, 1942. • Moore, 1905, Payne's Woodyard, Carney's Bluff, Kimbell's Field, pp.…”

“…Several specimens, selected from Moore and illustrating the two most distinctive Weeden Island types, Weeden Island Incised and Weeden Island Punctated, are reproduced inFigure 15, 29 facing page 130. References to other illustrations of these two types and of the ten remaining Weeden Island types follow Willey and Woodbury, 1942…”

The Johns Island Site, Hernando County, Florida

“…For pottery types of the Florida west and northwest coasts, seeWilley and Woodbury, 1942;Willey, 1945, 1949. For Matacumbe Incised, see Goggin, 1944; for Pasco series, Goggin, 1948c; for St. Johns series,Griffin, 1945, Goggin, 1948c for St. Johns Simple Stamped, Griffin and Smith, 1949.…”