Suwannee Valley culture facts for kids

The Suwannee Valley culture was a group of ancient people who lived in northern Florida during the Late Woodland period. This time was from about 750 AD until Europeans arrived. They were an archaeological culture, meaning we know about them from the things they left behind. Their main home was in what is now Suwannee and parts of Columbia counties. Before them came the McKeithen Weeden Island culture. After them, during the time of Spanish missions, came the Leon-Jefferson culture.

Who Were the Suwannee Valley People?

Scientists first described the Suwannee Valley culture in the 1990s. They found special pottery that was different from other groups. The main area where these people lived was near the Suwannee River and the Santa Fe River. Their land stretched west to the Aucilla River. To the west of the Aucilla River lived the Fort Walton culture. To the east was the St. Johns culture. The Aucilla River was a border, but also a place where the Suwannee Valley and Fort Walton people met. To the north, in southern Georgia, lived another group known for their "Carter Complicated Stamped" pottery.

The pottery of the Suwannee Valley people was unique. It had some features from the nearby Wakulla and Alachua cultures. But it was still its own style. This culture grew out of the McKeithen culture. We know they traded or interacted with others. Wakulla pottery has been found at early Suwannee Valley sites. Fort Walton pottery shows up at their westernmost sites.

Where Did They Live?

In the early days of the Suwannee Valley culture, people lived in smaller, more spread-out villages. This was different from the McKeithen Weeden Island culture before them. A similar change happened with the nearby Wakulla culture. This might mean they started growing more crops. Later, in the Island Pond phase, larger settlements appeared. These bigger villages often had burial mounds nearby.

Only a few Suwannee Valley sites have been studied well. These include Fig Springs (8CO1) and Indian Pond (8CO229). Others are Parnell Mound (8CO326) and Suwannee Sinks (8SU377). Floyd's Mound (8MD6) and South Mound (8MD354) are also important.

At the Fig Springs South End Village, scientists found clues about when people lived there. Using Radiocarbon dating, they found dates from the 900s to the 1500s. This site seems to have been used only by the Suwannee Valley people for about 600 years. At Floyd's Mound, pottery pieces were dated to between 1156 and 1279 AD. These pieces were found under layers that had Fort Walton pottery. This suggests the people at Floyd's Mound met or traded with the Fort Walton people.

Their Pottery and Villages

Suwannee Valley pottery looks more like the pottery of the Alachua culture. It's different from the Fort Walton and St. Johns cultures. Suwannee Valley pottery was usually simple and made for everyday use. It wasn't as fancy or decorated as the complex Mississippian pottery of the Fort Walton culture. It was also different from the later Leon-Jefferson culture pottery.

Most Suwannee Valley sites do not have large platform mounds. These mounds were common in Mississippian cultures like Fort Walton and St. Johns. The only known Suwannee Valley site with a platform mound is Floyd's Mound (8MD6). This site is also the farthest west. The Fort Walton pottery found there suggests that the Suwannee Valley people were influenced by their western neighbors.

Suwannee Valley People and Europeans

When Europeans first arrived, the main area of the Suwannee Valley culture was home to the Timucua people. These were also known as the Northern Utina. West of the Suwannee River, near the Aucilla River, lived the Yustaga people. Even farther west, a smaller group called Asile lived there. The Spanish explorers said Asile was "subject to Apalachee." This means the Asile people often interacted with the Apalachee.

After the Spanish built missions in the Timucua and Yustaga areas, the Suwannee Valley pottery slowly disappeared. It was replaced by Leon-Jefferson pottery. During this time, the Asile people continued to interact with the Apalachee. Records show that the chief of Asile even owned land west of the Aucilla River in the 1600s.

Archaeological finds show that the westernmost Suwannee Valley sites were influenced by Mississippian cultures. The Timucua and Yustaga people, when Europeans arrived, also had a Mississippian way of organizing their society. They had a system of chiefdoms. Smaller chiefdoms, with about 750 to 1,500 people, were part of larger regional chiefdoms. Chiefs and nobles inherited their positions. Warriors and ball players could also gain high status.