Mill Cove Complex facts for kids
 Location in Florida
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| Location | Jacksonville, Florida, Duval County, Florida,  USA |
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| Region | Duval County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 30°22′21.68″N 81°34′8.4″W / 30.3726889°N 81.569000°W |
| History | |
| Cultures | St. Johns culture |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1894, 1895, 1999-2002 |
| Archaeologists | Clarence Bloomfield Moore |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | burial mound |
| Architectural details | Number of monuments: 2 |
The Mill Cove Complex is a set of old archaeological sites found in Duval County, Florida. These sites were built by people of the St. Johns culture a long time ago, between 900 and 1250 CE. The complex includes two large sand mounds, called Grant Mound and Shields Mound. There is also an area between them filled with ancient trash piles, known as midden deposits.
Exploring Shields Mound: What Did Archaeologists Find?
Shields Mound is a special type of mound used for burials. It was first explored by an archaeologist named Clarence Bloomfield Moore in 1894 and 1895. At that time, Moore thought the mound was a flat-topped platform, about 65.2 metres (214 ft) across and 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall. He noted it had a ramp leading to the top.
Later studies between 1999 and 2002 showed that Shields Mound was actually a burial mound, not a platform mound. Moore discovered many interesting items inside the mound. These included fancy copper objects and special stone tools called celts. These celts were similar to those found at other important sites, suggesting they were symbols of high status. He also found a copper plate, much like others he had found at nearby sites like Grant Mound.
Uncovering Grant Mound: Discoveries and Artifacts
In 1894, C. B. Moore described Grant Mound as a cone-shaped mound. It was about 8.1 metres (27 ft) tall, with a base about 65.8 metres (216 ft) wide. When Moore dug into this mound, he found many graves. He also found a large number of artifacts, which are old objects made by people.
Some of these artifacts were made locally, while others came from far away. The discoveries included 147 polished stone celts and tools made from chipped stone. There were also smoking pipes made of soapstone and special shell drinking cups. These cups were used in a ritual called the black drink. Other items found were bone pins and different kinds of pottery.
Many items were made of or covered with copper. These included decorated plaques and beads. Two unique items were bi-conical ear spools and two long-nosed god maskettes. These copper items are very rare. They are linked to the important Cahokia site in Illinois and the wider Southeastern Ceremonial Complex.
Ancient Trade Networks: Connecting Cultures
The discovery of exotic copper items in both Grant and Shields Mounds tells us something important. It suggests that the people of the Mill Cove Complex traded with other groups. They likely traded with Mississippian culture peoples who lived to their west.
Local products like whelk shells and yaupon holly were very valuable. Mississippian cultures used whelk shells to make shell gorgets, ritual drinking cups, beads, and pendants. Yaupon holly was used to make the black drink. This trade shows that ancient people had complex connections across long distances.
