Norwood culture facts for kids

The Norwood culture was a group of people who lived a long time ago, during the late Archaic period in North America. Think of the Archaic period as a very old time when people were still hunting and gathering food, before they started farming a lot. The Norwood culture is special because they were one of the first groups in North America to start making pottery!

The Norwood Culture: Who Were They?

The Norwood culture was a unique part of the larger Archaic period. These people lived in what is now the northern part of Florida, in a place called the Apalachee region. This area was full of forests and hills, which was a great place for them to live and find food.

Where They Lived

The Norwood people made their homes in the Apalachee region. This area is now part of north Florida. It was a good place for them because it had lots of trees and different types of land. This environment helped them find food and materials for their tools and homes.

Tools and Hunting

Like other groups from the Archaic period, the Norwood people were skilled hunters. They used special tools called projectile points. These were sharp, triangular stones that they attached to knives or spears. The points had notches, which made it easier to tie them securely to wooden shafts.

Early people in the Archaic period used handheld spears for hunting. But over time, they started using a clever tool called an atlatl. An atlatl is like a stick that helps you throw a spear much farther and with more power. This made hunting animals for food and clothing much more effective for the Norwood people.

Making Pottery

One of the most exciting things about the Norwood culture is their pottery. They were among the very first people in North America to create pottery! This was a big step because it meant they could store food and water better.

Their pottery was unique. They mixed special materials into the clay to make it stronger. This process is called "tempering." The Norwood people used Spanish moss or fibers from the palmetto plant to temper their clay. Before they baked the pottery, they would decorate it by pressing sticks into the wet clay, leaving cool patterns on the outside.

Life by the Coast

Many of the places where the Norwood people lived were along the Gulf Coast. You can still find large piles of shells from this time, called "middens." These middens are like ancient trash heaps, showing us what the people ate, especially shellfish.

Sadly, some of these old sites have been covered by the ocean as sea levels have risen over thousands of years. Other sites have been damaged or destroyed by modern building projects. This makes it harder for archaeologists to learn everything about the Norwood culture.

Images for kids

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  A projectile point, used by ancient people for hunting and cutting.