The temporality of shell-bearing landscapes at Crystal River, Florida

Radiocarbon dating the pace of monument construction and village aggregation at Garden Patch: A ceremonial center on the Florida Gulf Coast

“…At both sites, elaborate mortuary rituals were a major emphasis of the community (Milanich et al, 1997;Pluckhahn, 2003). Other contemporaneous centers to the south of Garden Patch, such as Crystal River located some 90 km away (Pluckhahn et al, 2015), undoubtedly also played a part in region-wide networks and trends in community aggregation. But in its direct evidence of connection, site layout, and timing of monument construction, Garden Patch clearly shows northerly affiliations.…”

Constructing community at civic-ceremonial centers: pottery-making practices at Crystal River and Roberts Island

“…Based on Bayesian modeling of more than 30 recently obtained radiocarbon dates on stratified midden layers and features, Pluckhahn et al (2015b) (see also Cherkinsky et al 2014) divide the domestic occupation of Crystal River and Roberts Island into four phases. Thompson (2016) used these phases to examine change in domestic pottery assemblages over time, focusing on pottery from well-dated midden contexts.…”

“…If we assume the pottery from this phase is locally made, given the lack of unusual tempers or surface treatments, it would be consistent with the emergence of Crystal River as a ceremonial center for a community dispersed across the local landscape, perhaps especially on the marsh islands to the west. Based on its limited spatial extent, the Phase 1 resident population at Crystal River appears to have remained relatively small (Pluckhahn et al 2015b). Isotopic studies of oysters suggest it may have been restricted to a seasonal occupation during colder months, perhaps in association with ceremonies that included mound construction (Thompson et al 2015).…”

Contemplating the history and future of radiocarbon dating in the American Southeast

“…We encourage southeastern archaeologists and others working in North America to embrace Bayesian chronological applications given its potential for facilitating a greater understanding of southeastern archaeology, as highlighted by the exponentially growing body of scholarship from the last four years (Anderson et al 2013;Barrier 2017;Cobb et al 2015;Halligan et al 2016;Krus 2016;Krus et al 2015;Moore et al 2017;Munoz et al 2015;Ortmann and Kidder 2013;Pluckhahn et al 2015Pluckhahn et al , 2016Randall 2013;Schilling 2013;Thompson et al 2016;Thulman 2017;Turck and Thompson 2016;Wallis et al 2015;Wright 2014). We especially hope that students will understand the long-term potential that these methods have for transforming our current understandings of chronology in the Southeast.…”