Alachua culture facts for kids
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| Period | Late Woodland Southeast |
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| Dates | 600–1700 |
| Major sites | Richardson, Bolen Bluff, Fox Pond, Henderson Mound, Law School Mound, Rocky Point and Woodward Mound and Village. |
| Preceded by | Cades Pond |
The Alachua culture was a group of people who lived in north-central Florida a long time ago. They were part of the Late Woodland Southeast period. This culture existed from about the year 600 to 1700. You can find their old living areas in places like today's Alachua County, northern Marion County, and western Putnam County. Before the Alachua people, the Cades Pond culture lived in roughly the same area.
Contents
Where Did the Alachua People Come From?
Scientists called archaeologists have different ideas about where the Alachua people came from. One idea, from Jerald Milanich, is that they moved to Florida from what is now Georgia.
Pottery Clues and Migration Theories
Early Alachua pottery looks a lot like pottery from the Ocmulgee culture in Georgia. This suggests the Alachua people might have brought their pottery styles with them. They might have already been farming or learned to farm soon after they arrived.
These new people settled in higher, drier areas that were good for farming. The earlier Cades Pond people mostly lived in wet, swampy areas. The Cades Pond culture disappeared not long after the Alachua culture appeared.
Other archaeologists think the unique Alachua pottery styles developed right there in Florida. They even suggest that some people might have moved from Florida to Georgia, which would explain the similar pottery. Also, Alachua pottery looks a lot like pottery from the nearby Suwannee Valley culture. This culture seems to have developed locally from the McKeithen Weeden Island culture.
Time Periods of the Alachua Culture
The Alachua culture existed for a long time before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. This time is divided into two main parts:
- The Hickory Pond period (from 600 to 1250)
- The Alachua period (from 1250 to 1539)
Pottery Styles Define Periods
These time periods are named based on the types of pottery found. During the Hickory Pond period, the most common pottery was called Prairie Cord Marked. In the later Alachua period, a style called Alachua Cob Marked became more common. Other pottery styles were used throughout both periods.
Alachua Culture and Spanish Contact
Around 1539, Spanish explorers first arrived in Florida. At this time, the Alachua culture area was home to the Potano Indians. The Potano were a group of the Timucua people. They spoke the Potano dialect of the Timucua language.
After 1539, new things started to appear. European items were found, and pottery styles from other cultures became common. In the Potano II period, traditional pottery almost completely disappeared. It was replaced by pottery from the Leon-Jefferson Culture, which was linked to the Apalachee people. This might mean that the Potano area, which had lost many people, was resettled by people from the Apalachee area. However, Spanish records don't clearly show this movement. Tools made of stone and bone didn't change much over time.
Where the Alachua People Lived
The Alachua people often lived in hardwood hammocks. These are areas of higher ground with trees, often near streams or sinkholes. Their villages were usually on high ground.
Village Layout and Important Sites
Archaeologists often find clusters of village sites. This might mean that people moved their village around a small area over time. These village clusters often form lines, possibly following the natural lines of the hammocks or old trails.
One important Alachua culture site is Richardson (8AL100). Many believe this was the town of Potano. This town was visited by the explorer Hernando de Soto in 1539. Later, it became the site of the Spanish mission of San Buenaventura de Potano. Other Alachua culture sites include Bolen Bluff, Fox Pond, Henderson Mound, Law School Mound, Rocky Point, and Woodward Mound and Village.
What the Alachua People Ate
The presence of Cob Marked pottery throughout the Alachua culture period tells us that these people grew maize, also known as corn.
Food Sources and Daily Life
Archaeologists study ancient trash piles, called middens, to learn about what people ate. Alachua middens have fewer freshwater shells and fewer types of animal bones compared to those from the earlier Cades Pond culture. This might mean that the Alachua people relied less on hunting and gathering for food. However, more detailed studies are needed to fully understand their diet.
Burial mounds have been found in the area, but they haven't been fully explored. In villages, archaeologists have found storage pits for food and signs of other buildings. At one site, they even found evidence of a circular house.
