People of the Shell Mounds

Ashleigh Boice

Most of what is known about the People of the Shell Mounds comes from archaeological evidence. In the area of the Timucuan Preserve, they found plentiful game, shellfish, and wild growing plants.

Like a puzzle, the pieces left behind by the People of the Shell Mounds provide clues as to how they used the land. These clues are collected by archaeologists from shell mounds, middens, and rings.

These early human inhabitants survived and raised families, making use of the materials they found around them for food, shelter, and tools.

Combining plant fibers with clay, they experimented with making pottery. Today, archaeologists find pieces of this orange-colored pottery and refer to it as Orange Period. It is among the oldest found in North America.

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