Crystal River Temple Mound overlooking the river, fifty-five steps to the top of the mound platform. The temple would have been built on top of the mound. Crystal River Ceremonial Mound Complex dates from 200 AD to 1300 to 1400 AD and is part of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. According to the National Park Service, "This six-mound complex is considered one of the longest continually occupied sites in Florida. For 1,600 years these 14 acres were an imposing prehistoric ceremonial center."
View of the river ancient people would have had from the temple. I can just envision them floating down the river in their dugout canoes. The Crystal River Mounds have been found to contain various pottery artifacts and the burial mounds, as other mounds in pre-Columbian archeological sites within Florida, contain artifacts that were not sourced locally, such as Grizzly Bear teeth, mica from the Appalachian Mountain area to the north of Florida, and copper earrings from the Ohio area. The primary burial mound consists of white sand and is said to contain, by some estimates, as many as a 1,000 separate burials (Milanich).
The Crystal River mound complex also contains two stone objects estimated to date to 440-450AD and whose purpose is not definitively known. These stone objects are about five feet in height and are fashioned out of limestone and one is carved to be representative of a human head (Milanich). Some archeologists have hypothesized that the entire complex is a massive calendar to mark the major planetary events such as equinoxes, solstices, and star alignments (Milanich).
Gary on the platform on the top of the mound. Mound builders were prehistoric people who inhabited North America who constructed various styles of earthen mounds for burial, residential and ceremonial purposes.
River side of the temple mound showing all the shells and earth built up for the temple mound.
Weeden Island Culture pottery.
Arriving early we had the park and museum to ourselves. There was much to learn about ancient cultures of Southeast America.
I found myself reflecting on religion and ritual, sustenance and necessity, the trials and tribulations of daily life, and about beauty and love. Thanks for reading my blog and for all your support.
This is a fascinating post, Linda. Thanks so much. We too have some mounds which look like the one in the photo. They are circular and have platforms too. We also have many mounds made of shells! WOW! The artifacts excavated from the complex are so interesting. The red vase in the photo is really beautiful. I clicked on the link and found the page about "mound builders". I enjoyed a lot reading it because I once went to see the exhibition about the Pre-Columbian culture in Tokyo. Who are the mound builders? So intriguing!
ReplyDeleteHi Sapphire, thanks, yes it was interesting to me to see these mounds. It was originally thought that South American cultures had influenced these mounds to be built, but later found that there was no influence, they developed them on their own and I suspect other cultures throughout the world as in your country the same has happened too. Man is progressin the same direction in a different part of the world independently of another culture doing the same. the red pot was my favorite, I think I see a face incised into the clay surface. Hope you are doing well, love your posts.
ReplyDeleteHow facinating, especially for you to see the work of ancient potters. That must give you goosebumps, I know it would have me.
ReplyDeleteHi Patti, thanks, yes so interesting to see. These peoples made the mounds before the pyramids were built, can you imagine, people in America, right in Florida making pots along the river, hunting with spears and building mounds and temples.
ReplyDeleteNeat pictures.Ohio has many earth works and mounds too. Ft. Ancient is down the road from us and the Great Serpent mound is not too far. I'm always amazed at the amount of labor, astronomy, and engineering that went into these sites.
ReplyDeleteHi Dennis, thanks, yes when I was looking on the links, Ohio is in the same grouping of these mounds, apparently all these early people traded with one another for supplies, copper, bear's teeth, mica, and such. I am amazed at what these early people did too, I had no idea.
ReplyDeletethere is a mound site not far from here that jeff wants to take me to. we pass it on our way to his mom's in rockingham, nc. after reading your post i am anxious to go.
ReplyDeleteWe have Native American Indian mounds here in St. Paul also. Years ago I took some photos, but you have inspired me to return for more photos and to do some research too. Great post today!
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, thanks, this is so interesting. I had read about mounds in South America but never realized they were here in North America and am amazed they were from before the pyramids.
ReplyDeleteHi Kate, thanks, this is a whole new aspect of pottery for me and I am also inspired to delve into this research further. Look forward to your post too.
Very interesting, Linda. Yes, wouldn't it have been fabulous to glide along on the river and see the the mounds? We have mounds on the LSU campus that also predate the pyramids. The latest info I read say archeologists think it was more a community than a burial site. I read Sapphire's comment - and, how right you are, all of this developed independent of each other - amazing, eh? I sometimes wonder what they thought back then ---
ReplyDeleteBank of America apologized for the trouble they caused and all's well now.
Etowa Indian Mounds in GA is equally interesting. You gotta love these places.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, Linda! A fascinating post. I love that this place allowed for reflecting on all the things that matter most. We have mounds near where I live and I have always been intrigued by the history. It was seeing the artifacts from native culture in the SW that got my friend, JB, into pottery, resulting in doing some replicas. I can imagine how many directions this adventure could take you in your thought and in your creative work.
ReplyDeleteHi Kittie, thanks, yes the had a display of dugout canoes, but I didn't take a photo of those, that river is so beautiful with all the lush greenery around. I guess we are just now beginning to know more about these ancient people as archaeologists sift through the artifacts.
ReplyDeleteThese banks, without us there would be no banks, perhaps they need to remember that. Ha.
Hi Lori, thanks, yes Georgia is all part of the southest network of these peoples, so interesting.
Hi Teresa, thanks, I was intrigued by this site and how peaceful it must have been for people back then, no bills, no retirement, but then again I am sure they had plenty to worry about, where their next meal was coming from and working hard to survive the elements, but I'll bet all the community chipped in and did their part as a community. Working with clay by hand is what I love and it must be that closeness to the earth that keeps me returning to it. I am glad I found some native clay to utilize and want to do more with that. Have a great day.
Lovely post Linda,
ReplyDeleteLiving in NZ, I knew nothing about those mounds, so it was fascinating reading about them, and also seeing the photos of the pottery too. It is quite a special thing really to stand in places like that and look out at the surrounding landscape (or seascape) and to share the same view as the people did all those years ago.
Hi Peter, thanks, it is rather special to stand in the same place as those ancient peoples, it is rather amazing to think that there are still so many places in Florida that are untouched by development or man's influence; the view of the wide river flowing out to the gulf of Mexico in that spot being one of them. Occasionally a boat with an electric motor would pass by, but if it weren't for them or an occasional house along the shore in the distance one wouldn't feel the civilization that is there now. As we walked down by the river there was a concrete seawall built to protect the valuable archaeological aspects of the land.
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