The Woodland Period – St. Johns Cultures – 500 BC to 1500 AD represents a significant chapter in the pre-Columbian history of northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia. Beginning around 500 BC and lasting until European contact around 1500 AD, this era witnessed the flourishing of a distinct cultural complex known as the St. Johns culture. This period is marked by advancements in pottery technology, increasingly complex social structures, and a sophisticated adaptation to the diverse coastal and riverine environments of the region. This article will explore the defining characteristics of the St. Johns culture, examining their pottery traditions, tool technologies, subsistence strategies, burial practices, and the ultimate transition into the historic Timucua people.
The Dawn of a New Era: Pottery Innovations
The beginning of the Woodland Period is readily identified by a notable shift in pottery-making techniques. Prior to this time, pottery construction typically involved shaping vessels from a single slab of clay. However, around 500 BC, the St. Johns people adopted the coil construction method. This technique involved rolling clay into long, rope-like coils, which were then layered and joined together to form the desired shape of the pot. This method offered greater control over the size and shape of the vessels, allowing for the creation of larger and more intricate forms.
Alongside the change in construction, the St. Johns potters also experimented with different tempering agents. Tempering is the process of adding non-clay materials to the clay body to improve its workability, strength, and firing properties. In the northernmost extent of the St. Johns cultural area, influenced by pottery styles from Georgia, sand was frequently used as a temper. The addition of sand provided a gritty texture and helped to prevent cracking during the firing process. Archaeological sites sometimes reveal pottery that incorporates both sand and fiber as temper, suggesting a gradual transition as potters experimented with new techniques and materials.
Further south, within Florida proper, the St. Johns potters developed a unique tempering method that capitalized on the region’s abundant freshwater resources. They utilized clay sourced from freshwater environments that contained the skeletal remains of freshwater sponges. These minute sponge skeletons, known as spicules, became incorporated into the clay matrix. When fired, the spicules acted as a natural temper, creating a distinctive pottery type known as St. Johns Check Stamped. This sponge-spicule tempered pottery is characterized by its chalky texture and relative softness, making it easily scratched with a fingernail.
The adoption of coil construction and the use of sand and sponge-spicule tempers resulted in the production of significantly lighter and more durable pottery vessels. These innovations likely improved the efficiency of cooking, storage, and transportation of food and other materials. The presence of both sand-tempered and sponge-spicule tempered pottery in archaeological sites throughout northern Florida, even extending into the European Contact Period, demonstrates the long-lasting impact and adaptability of these ceramic technologies.
On Pelotes and Pinders Islands, both sand-tempered and sponge-spicule tempered pottery are found, although in lesser quantities compared to the earlier fiber-tempered wares. This scarcity could be attributed to several factors, including a potentially reduced population in later times, the removal of upper layers of oyster middens for use as road fill, or the selective collection of more recent artifacts by amateur collectors due to their proximity to the surface.
Tools of the Trade: Technological Adaptations
The St. Johns people possessed a diverse and increasingly specialized toolkit that reflected their adaptation to the coastal environment and their growing reliance on a variety of resources. Chert, a locally available but relatively low-quality stone, was the primary material used for manufacturing projectile points, knives, drills, awls, and other essential tools. The projectile points found in St. Johns sites are generally smaller than those produced by earlier Archaic period peoples, suggesting a shift in hunting strategies or the types of game being pursued.
In addition to chert, bone, antler, and shell were also important materials for tool production. Shell, in particular, became increasingly significant as a resource during the late Archaic period, a trend that continued throughout the Woodland Period – St. Johns Cultures – 500 BC to 1500 AD. The St. Johns people skillfully crafted a variety of tools and ornaments from the shells of various marine mollusks, particularly whelks (Busycon). Whelk shells were fashioned into axes, bowls, jewelry, and columellae (the central spiral of the shell). The discovery of modified whelk shells, including ax heads and complete lightning whelk bowls, on Pinders Island provides tangible evidence of the importance of shell technology in their daily lives.
Lifestyle and Subsistence: A Complex Interplay
The St. Johns culture saw a shift towards a more settled and complex lifestyle. Archaeological evidence suggests that these people lived in larger groups and likely occupied the same locations for extended periods, possibly year-round. This increased sedentism allowed for the development of more elaborate social structures and the accumulation of material possessions.
The subsistence economy of the St. Johns people was based on a combination of resource exploitation, including the intensive collection of marine resources, wild plant materials, and the hunting of land animals. Deer were a particularly important source of protein and raw materials. While the evidence is not definitive, it is possible that the St. Johns people were also cultivating corn during this period. The introduction of agriculture would have further enhanced their ability to sustain larger populations and maintain a more stable food supply.
Mortuary Practices: Ritual and Belief
Burial practices provide valuable insights into the beliefs and social organization of the St. Johns people. The dead were typically buried in mounds constructed from sand and oyster shells. The presence of grave goods, such as pottery, tools, and ornaments, in some burials suggests a belief in the afterlife and an increasing level of ceremonialism.
Burial practices varied, with some individuals receiving primary burials, meaning they were interred immediately after death in a flexed or extended position. However, more commonly, the bodies underwent a process of preparation before burial. The deceased were initially placed in a charnel house, a structure used for the temporary storage of corpses. After the soft tissues had decomposed, the skeletons were carefully processed. The skull and long bones were then collected and interred in the mound as a bundle burial.
The Dent Mound, located on Pelotes Island, offers a particularly informative glimpse into St. Johns mortuary practices. Dated to between 250 AD and 600 AD, the mound contained the remains of approximately 100 individuals. The presence of Swift Creek pottery, a type more common to the west and north of the St. Johns region, within the mound suggests that it may have been used specifically for mortuary rituals. The association of grave goods with certain individuals may indicate differences in social status within the community. It is believed that the Dent Mound may have been used over an extended period by a single kin group or community, highlighting the importance of ancestral connections and territoriality.
Transition to the Timucua: A Legacy Endures
The Woodland Period – St. Johns Cultures – 500 BC to 1500 AD laid the foundation for the emergence of the Timucua culture, which inhabited the region during the Historic period. The Timucua people inherited many of the cultural traits and traditions of their St. Johns ancestors, including their pottery-making techniques, subsistence strategies, and burial practices. When European explorers and colonists arrived in Florida, they encountered the Timucua, who were organized into numerous chiefdoms and villages. The St. Johns River, a defining geographical feature of the region, played a vital role in the lives of both the St. Johns and Timucua peoples, providing transportation, sustenance, and a sense of cultural identity.
In conclusion, the Woodland Period – St. Johns Cultures – 500 BC to 1500 AD represents a crucial stage in the prehistory of northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia. The innovations in pottery technology, the development of specialized tools, the adoption of a complex subsistence economy, and the elaborate mortuary practices of the St. Johns people provide a fascinating glimpse into their lives and beliefs. Their legacy continues to resonate through the cultural landscape of the region and in the historical record of the Timucua people.