CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA 



WEST-COAST. 



By Clarexce B. Moore. 



During the seasons 1901 and 1902 we investigated the aboriginal remains of 

 the northwest Florida coast, beginning at Perdido bay, the coast-boundary between 

 Alabama and Florida, and ending at the town of Cedar Keys^ (see outline map). 



This season (1903), our work was directly continued down the west coast of 

 Florida, beginning at the Suwannee river, just above Cedar Ke^'s, and continuing 

 through Waccasassa bay,.Withlacoochee bay, Crystal bay, Homosassa bay, Chas- 

 sahowitzka bay, St. Joseph's sound and along the Gulf coast and islands to Tampa 

 bay, including short journeys up the various rivers along the route. 



Much of the territory covered by us is sparsely settled, so that information as 

 to the locality of mounds is difficult to obtain and, therefore, although search had 

 been made in advance for us by two agents, and over part of the distance by four, 

 yet we doubt not that some mounds have escaped us, as, no doubt, have numerous 

 cemeteries. By cemeteries, we mean where burials have been under level ground, 

 unmarked by mounds. We do not believe these burials were enclosed in urns. 



As we had anticipated, the yield of earthenware from the mounds of the cen- 

 tral west-coast of Florida did not equal that from the mounds of the northwest 

 Florida coast, though a few vessels found intact and many sherds, showed that the 

 aborigines of the central west-coast had been possessed of some excellent ware 

 bearing decorations showing no mean ability. Life-forms in earthenware Avere 

 conspicuous by their absence. 



In reference to the earthenware described in this report Ave quote from our 

 report of last season. 



" All measurements of eartheuAvare reported in this A'olume are approximate. 



" It must be borne in mind in respect to process Avork that reductions in size 

 are made with regard to diameter and not area. If a diagram four inches by tAvo 

 inches is to be reduced one-half, each diameter is divided by tAvo and the reproduc- 

 tion, Avhich is called half size, is tAvo inches by one inch. The area of the original 

 diagram, however, is eight square inches, Avhile that of the so-called half-size repro- 

 duction is tAvo square inches, or one-quarter the area. To find the actual size of a 

 design shoAvn in diagram, multiply the length and the breadth by tAvo, if the diagram 

 is given 'half size;' by three, if 'one-third,' and so on. 



' "Certain Aboriginal Remains of the Xoi-thwest Florida Coast," Parts I and II. Joiirn. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. of Phila. Vols. XI, XII. 



» 46 JOUEN. A. N. S. PHILA., VOL. XII. 



