XO. 13 ARCHEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IX FLORIDA l-'EWKES 5 



other opportunities to carry on archeological work in Florida the 

 author desires here to express his thanks to ^Ir. Elliott, who first 

 called his attention to the mounds. 



The author began his work on Weeden Island in November, 1923, 

 by running a trench into the large shell heap on which the pavilion 

 now stands. \A'hile this work was in progress it was necessary for him 

 to return to ^^ ashington, and during his absence ]Mr. Stanley Hedberg 

 was put in temporary charge. Later the author appointed Mr. M. W. 

 Stirling, at that time assistant curator of the division of ethnology, 

 U. S. National ^Museum, to represent him until his return to St. 

 Petersburg, in Alarch. The progress made in the w'ork during his 

 absence was very gratifying. ^Ir. Stirling severed his connection 

 with the Smithsonian Institution March 15, 1924, but the author 

 remained in St. Petersburg until the middle of April, when he packed 

 about half of the collection and returned to Washington.'^ 



The excavations at ^^'eeden Island were carried on at the height 

 of the tourist season and attracted w.'de attention not only from 

 visitors but permanent residents throughout the State of Florida. 

 As fast as specimens were taken out of the .ground they were placed 

 on exhibition in St. Petersburg to be examined b\- visitors. Frequent 

 lectures and talks were given on them. 



The work on Weeden Island was mostly confined to a single mound 

 which for reasons that will appear may be called the cemetery (pi. 2, 

 fig. I ) . Several trial pits were made in different mounds in order to 

 determine their nature and the work began at the mound where Dr. 

 Weeden's house formerly stood. The first attempts were placed 

 under the supervision of Mr. Stanley Hedberg, who with a few work- 

 men ran a broad ditch from the north periphery to tlw center of this 

 mound. Although the work was rapidl}' pushed with all possible care 

 the results w^ere few and desultory. The mound proved to be only 

 a large shell heap with stratification of shells and sand. Few artifacts 

 were found in it, although a great quantity of earth was removed. 



This mound is evidently a place where the prehistoric inhabitants 

 brought their molluscan food gathered in the neighboring bays and, 

 after eating the soft animal parts, threw away the shells, thus without 

 any design on their part inadvertently accumulating a large mound of 

 shells. It was presumably an eating place and might be called a 

 kitchen midden. I'ossiblv it also served other purposes, as an elevated 

 site, high above tides, for caljins, or as an observatory; but if the 



^ The aid rendered by Mr. Stirling, Mr. Hedberg, Mr. Reichard and others 

 contril)Uted greatly to the success of the work at Weeden Island and the 

 author desires in tliis jilace to exjircss his thanks to these gentlemen and others 

 ulio liave assisted lu'm in tlie undertaking. 



