WHO WE ARE
The Indian River Anthropological Society (IRAS) is a local chapter of the Florida Anthropological Society. As such we are a State of Florida chartered, non-profit organization. A group of professional and avocational archaeologists interested in preserving Florida’s past founded IRAS in 1965. We have been in continuous operation since our inception and have members from all walks of life. We are dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Florida's cultural heritage, especially the Indian River area. This area was the home to a group of Native Americans, named the Ais (or Ayes) by early Spanish explorers. This region includes Volusia, Brevard, and Indian River Counties.
Officers for 2007-2008
President, Dave McDonald
Vice President, Elaine Williams
Secretary, Vera Zimmerman
Treasurer, Mary H. "Nell" Penders
FAS Representative, Jason Wenzel
Field Director, Tom Penders
WHAT IS ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology is the study of past people and civilization. Archaeologists study these people by looking at the material they left behind. Artifacts can tell how people made a living, what they ate, where they came from or traveled to, if they traded with other people, etc. Archaeology is a sub-discipline of anthropology, which is the study of man.
WHAT WE DO
IRAS members assist non-profit, civic organizations, county and state departments conducting organized archaeological surveys of property designated for development. The IRAS has helped these entities plan construction to minimize loss of archaeological deposits. In some cases, sites have been or are in the process of being destroyed. The IRAS steps in to help salvage valuable information before all evidence is obliterated. IRAS also assists universities, professional archaeologists, preservation groups, and museums undertake intensive examinations (excavations) of sites. We are dedicated to educating the public about Florida’s prehistory and members have given presentations to the general public, school groups, and participated in the annual Florida Archaeology Month events.
IRAS PROJECTS
 |
| Digging at the 8000 year old Windover Site |
The IRAS has undertaken numerous projects in its history. Some of the most notable are:
- Assisted Florida State University in the excavations at the Windover Archaeological Site, Titusville, Florida during 1984-1987
- Assisted the University of West Florida in the county wide archaeological survey for Brevard County in 1990
- Conducted a Phase I & II archaeological survey of the Windover Archaeological Site Hammock area for the Preservation & Education Trust 2002
- Investigation and salvage excavations of the Cabbage Mound site for Brevard County in 1994, 1997 and 1998
MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to all individuals interested in the archaeology of Florida and the Indian River area in particular, including Brevard and Indian River Counties. Membership dues are $15.00 per year for an individual and $20.00 per year for a family. Dues include participation in all club activities. You may join by submitting a check or money order made out to IRAS plus a print out of the IRAS membership application to IRAS, P. O. Box 542022, Merritt Island, FL 32954-2022.
Please note that anyone joining IRAS will be required to follow our strict code of ethics regarding archaeological sites and artifacts. You must sign and date the code of ethics section at the bottom of the form to be a member.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Application Form.
FUNDING
Indian River Anthropological Society is a non-profit organization and does not receive financial support from any city, county, state or federal government agency. Operating funds are generated through membership dues, special fundraising events, and generous contributions of members and the general public. Donations of equipment, services and/or money are always appreciated.
IRAS CODE OF ETHICS
- Exploration of archaeological sites are conducted in accordance with Federal, State, County, and local laws, and are conducted under the direct supervision of qualified personnel.
- Results of all fieldwork and research will be documented.
- ALL artifacts recovered from archaeological sites are turned over to the IRAS.
- Members will not participate in the illegal trade of antiquities or loot sites.
- No member will remove artifacts from any site unless given authority by the IRAS officers.
- The appropriate authorities will be informed if a member discovers the looting or destruction of archaeological sites.
- Members should participate in educating the public in understanding the state's historical and archaeological heritage.
FLORIDA’S PAST
Archaeologist divide the prehistory of Florida into specific cultural terms based upon dates, how the people lived and climate. The basic cultural periods for the Indian River area are: Paleoindian, Archaic, Malabar and Historic Periods. All have subdivisions and a summary of these periods are shown below:
Paleoindian Period (13,500-9,500 BP)
The earliest dates confirming the human occupation of Florida is approximately 13,500 years before present (BP) and lasted until 9,500 BP. During this period, Florida was twice the size it is today with sea levels lower, exposing large areas of the continental shelf. Vegetation of peninsular Florida was similar to the present day African savannah. It had open arid scrub vegetation with the coastal strips supporting savannas and dune scrub except where springs and rivers brought life to the dry conditions. These hammock areas supported a suite of animal and plant life that exceeded what would have been available in the dry forests alone.
In Florida the Paleoindians traveled in small, highly mobile bands that followed and exploited herds of megafauna. Paleoindians have been characterized as hunting and gathering nomads, moving seasonally as the availability of game and wild plant foods changed, settling only for brief periods when resources such as nuts or fruits were temporarily plentiful. Hammocks near fresh water sources and the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida would have provided a stable reliable source of fish and shellfish. It is highly unlikely that such resources were ignored and inhabitants in this area may have stayed here longer.
Prehistoric Cultural Periods of East Central Florida |
Date
(Years Before Present) |
|
Cultural Period |
13,500
10,800
10,000 |
|
Paleoindian
Clovis
Folsom
Dalton |
9,500
7,000
5,000
4,000 |
|
Archaic
Early Archaic
Middle Archaic
Late Archaic
Mt. Taylor
Orange |
3,000
1,000 |
|
Malabar
Malabar I
Malabar II |
Early Archaic Period (9,500-7,000 BP)
 |
| Screening for artifacts. |
The Archaic begins with a large-scale change in the environment. During the middle to late Paleoindian Period widescale melting of the ice sheets covering the northern latitudes of the planet caused the sea levels to rise and inundate large areas. Water levels continued to rise steadily and became close to present day. The environment was becoming similar to present day Florida but with greater seasonal cycles. Larger settlements close to aquatic resources were established during the Early Archaic with the growth in population. They developed large base camps with smaller foraging camps. Deer remains are well documented from Early Archaic sites in Florida. However, use of aquatic resources was beginning during this period. In the Early Archaic, changes in the tool assemblage reflect the changes in subsistence patterns. The use of muck bogs-ponds for burial of the dead has been discovered at three sites in Florida. The Bay West, Republic Groves and Windover are cemetery sites where humans were buried within the shallow margins of small ponds, peat bogs or muck lakes.
Middle Archaic Period (7,000-5,500 BP)
The Middle Archaic Period began around 7,000 BP and is characterized by people staying in defined areas. Pine swamps were established by the end of this period. By the end of the Middle Archaic, sea levels had risen a total of 80 feet and the coastal margins became more productive. The Middle Archaic can be characterized as a period of increased diversity in resource exploitation and tool classes. Shellfish were becoming more plentiful along the coast and in the freshwater sources of east central Florida. Some of the earliest shell midden deposits date to the Middle Archaic.
Late Archaic Period (5,000-3,000 BP)
The climate during the Late Archaic Period was wetter due to higher levels of precipitation and accelerated swamping. The Late Archaic Period is dominated by an increased utilization of the Indian and St. Johns Rivers and coastal marshes. Late Archaic sites tend to cluster in and around these wetland areas. Extensive shell middens were developed along the fresh water marshes of the St. John's River. Along the East Coast, Late Archaic middens are known from the Florida/Georgia border and as far south as Jupiter Inlet. Preceramic Archaic middens have also been identified along the northeast coast. These middens consist of shellfish common to beach and brackish estuarine environments as well as small components of freshwater shellfish. They are also characterized by the significant presence of small and large marine fish.
The Late Archaic is associated also with the Mt. Taylor and the Orange Sub-periods. Mt. Taylor is the final preceramic culture in Central Florida. Mt. Taylor could have its origins in the Middle Archaic Period and may have started as early as 6,000 years BP and as late as 5,000 BP The author has designated an arbitrary start date of 5,500 BP. Mt. Taylor Period sites near the St. John's River suggest that freshwater snails and mussels were the most exploited food source. There is an increase in the use of fish such as shark, rays, and Atlantic Croaker along the coast and estuarine-lagoon systems. Sites from both areas show a variety of fish, mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians were utilized as additional food sources.
The Orange Period lasted from 4,500 to 3,000 BP. It is the first ceramic culture of Central Florida and is typified by fiber tempered and hand molded pottery. There is an increase in the utilization of shallow dwelling fish, pond snails and mussels in the freshwater. By the end of the Orange Period, there appears to be shift away from these foods to the exploitation of brackish lagoons and coastal margins. This may be due to over utilization of the freshwater resources or the result of population pressures.
Malabar Sub-Period Chronology
|
| Date |
|
Cultural Period |
3000 BP-AD 750
100-500
500-750 |
|
Malabar I
Malabar Ia
Malabar Ib |
750-1565
750-1050
1050-1513
1513-1565 |
|
Malabar II
Malabar IIa
Malabar IIb
Malabar IIc |
* Adapted from Milanich (1994) and Rouse (1951)
corresponds with St. Johns Periods |
Malabar Period (3000 BP–AD 1565)
The Malabar Period evolved from the Orange ceramic culture, which existed at the end of the Late Archaic and lasted until the arrival of the Spanish in 1565 AD. Malabar was first defined by Irving Rouse in 1951 as a unique culture located within the confines of the Indian River, beginning at the northern headwaters of the coastal Indian River lagoon and extending to its southern opening at the St. Lucie Inlet. It can be described as a transition zone between the Glades culture to the south and St. Johns culture to the north. Characteristics of the culture included the absence of corn agriculture, and differences in language, religion and social organization. Rouse (1951) divided the period into two main subperiods: Malabar I and Malabar II. They are based upon changes in ceramic styles and some subsistence practices.
 |
| Excavating at a late 19th - early 20th century homestead here in Brevard County. |
Malabar cultures, overall, were nonagricultural chiefdoms that subsisted primarily by collecting plant resources, fishing and hunting of small game. As of yet, no direct evidence of corn agriculture in Malabar periods has been recovered, although corn was undoubtedly grown at the time in cultures to the west and north. They may have practiced a limited horticulture of cucubrits such as bottle gourds. The Malabar culture utilized villages or household sites that formed a nucleus for many small, specialized single use sites. Villages were often associated with middens and one or mounds nearby that served as cemeteries or house locations for the chief. This pattern was consistently used in the interior marshlands along the St. Johns River and along the coastal region (Milanich 1994:252).
Burials in all Malabar periods can be extended, flexed, or bundled. In some mounds, burials were placed in a spoke fashion around the center of the mound and then capped with sand, while others were placed head to toe in a circle in the center of the mound (Rouse 1951:253). Loose human bone is common in mound fill and may represent cleanings from charnel activity or disturbance of old burials when new burials were interred. A number of burial mounds are capped with sand containing hematite.
There are accounts that encounters between Native Americans (Ais) and the Spanish occurred prior to 1513. Ponce de Leon on his voyage of discovery of La Florida reported that his crew was attacked by the Ais when they anchored offshore opposite an Ais village and attempted to land. In September 1565, Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded St. Augustine, which began a 200-year occupation of La Florida. That same year he attacked and destroyed the French colony Ft. Caroline. Some of the French colonists escaped, but were later shipwrecked as the result of a fierce storm. In October 1565, Menendez set out from St. Augustine with a combined land and sea force. In early November, he encountered the Frenchmen at a place several miles north of Cape Canaveral, where they had constructed an earthwork fortification protected by cannon salvaged from one of their ships. Except for a few, the Frenchmen surrendered to Menendez. The Spanish then destroyed the fortification and all remnants of the French presence at the cape and proceeded south. Menendez continued south until reaching a narrow isthmus between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River, where he encountered a concentration of Native American villages and the chief of the Ais. He decided to fortify and settle the area and left a group of 200 Spanish to implement his orders. Shortly after Menendez departed, a number of the Spanish mutinied and abandoned the area, thus ending the first attempt by Europeans to settle the east central Florida region.
The Indian River region was part of Spanish Florida for nearly two hundred years. Yet except for the native population, it remained unsettled. In 1605, Alvaro Mexia, a Spanish soldier, led an expedition to the Ais area, where he visited several villages. He was able to secure an agreement with the Indians to limit their attacks to Dutch, French, and English intruders and report the presence of Spanish shipwreck survivors to the authorities at St. Augustine. One of the most famous accounts of the Ais during this period was by Jonathan Dickinson. In 1696, Dickinson and several others were shipwrecked near Jupiter Inlet and were captured by the Ais. They spent several months traveling among the Ais from Jupiter Inlet through northern Brevard and southern Volusia Counties. The Dickinson party was released to the Spanish who brought them to St. Augustine and eventually were sent to the Carolina colonies.
 |
| Ais Indians in a dugout canoe |
SUGGESTED READING
Below is a listing of books and articles on archaeology and prehistory of Florida and the Indian River area. Most of these can be found at your public or university library.
Bense, Judith A. and John Phillips
1990 Archaeological Assessment of Six Selected Areas in Brevard County: A First Generation
Model. Report on file, Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources,
Tallahassee, Florida.
Brown, Robin C.
1994 Florida's First People. Pineapple Press, Inc., Sarasota.
Fiedel, Stuart J.
1987 Prehistory of the Americas. Cambridge University Press, New York.
Gilliland, Marion Spjut
1975 The Material Culture of Key Marco, Florida. University of Florida Press, Gainesville.
Goggin, John M.
1952 Space and Time Perspectives in Northern St. Johns Archaeology, Florida. Yale
University Publications in Anthropology No. 47, New Haven.
Hudson, Charles
1976 The Southeastern Indians. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.
Jennings, Jesse D.
1989 Prehistory of North America. Third Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Milanich, Jerald T.
1994 The Archaeology of Precolombian Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
1995 The Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe. University Press of Florida,
Gainesville.
1998 Florida’s Indians from Ancient Times to the Present. University Press of Florida,
Gainesville.
Purdy, Barbara A.
1981 Florida's Prehistoric Stone Technology. University of Florida Press, Gainesville.
Shofner, Jerrell H.
1994 The History Of Brevard County, Volume 1. Brevard County Historical Commission, Viera,
Florida.
1995 The History of Brevard County, Volume 2. Brevard County Historical Commission, Viera,
Florida.
Widmer, R.J.
1988 The Evolution of the Calusa: A Nonagricultural Chiefdom on the Southwest Florida
Coast. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.
LINKS
Brevard County Historical Commission
Bureau of Archaeological Research
Florida Anthropological Society
Florida Archaeological Council
Florida Archaeology Month
Florida Department of Historical Resources
Florida Historical Society
North Brevard Heritage Foundation
North Brevard Historical Society
North Brevard Heritage Foundation
Registry of Professional Archaeologists
Society for American Archaeology
Southeastern Archeological Center/NPS
Southeastern Archaeological Conference
Windover Archaeological Project
All photos by Vera Booksh Zimmerman
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