Blueberry Site facts for kids
The Blueberry site is an archaeological place where scientists study old human cultures. It tells us about the Belle Glade culture, which lived in Florida for about 2,700 years, from 1000 B.C. to A.D. 1700. This site is found in Highlands County, Florida, near a high area and a large wetland. People started studying the Blueberry site in the 1930s. Today, we are learning even more about this ancient culture and how they lived.
Contents
Life in the Belle Glade Culture
The Belle Glade culture existed for a long time. Experts divide this time into four main periods:
- Belle Glade I: 1000 B.C. to A.D. 200
- Belle Glade II: A.D. 200 to A.D. 600 or 800
- Belle Glade III: A.D. 600 or 800 to A.D. 1200 or 1400
- Belle Glade IV: A.D. 1200 or 1400 to A.D. 1700
Archaeologists made these divisions by looking at things like how people settled down and how they changed the land. At the Blueberry site, there are clear layers of soil that show the Belle Glade people lived there continuously for a long time. During this time, they built many things. This included at least three earthen mounds and one long ridge or raised area where they lived. Because of the different types of land nearby, the Blueberry site was likely a village, not just a small, isolated group of people.
Trade and Connections
The people at the Blueberry site were not alone. They traded with groups far away. Scientists found special artifacts that came from other places. These "exotic" items were probably very important and valuable to the Belle Glade people. They might have been owned by important leaders.
The people at Blueberry site also shared many cultural ideas with other American Indian groups. For example, they used red ocher (a type of red clay) and made similar pottery. This suggests they had similar rituals and ceremonies.
What They Ate
Scientists also studied old hearths (fireplaces) and animal bones found at the site. This showed that the Belle Glade communities ate the same types of food over many years. They gathered food from both water and land. This included fish and turtles from the wetlands, and deer and turkey from the higher land.
How People Used Stone Tools
In 2014, archaeologists studied the Blueberry site to understand how the land's shape affected human behavior. They looked at stone tools, or "lithics," to see how the Belle Glade people managed without much stone material nearby.
They found many almost complete stone tools that were brought to the site from other places. They also found signs that the people at Blueberry site finished making tools there. This means they imported tools and then sharpened or shaped them for their needs. This study helped scientists understand how ancient people adapted to their environment when they didn't have all the materials they needed close by.
