Topic: History
A group of students at the University of Florida uncovered a rare, intact pottery vessel from the 17th century. The pot was found at the Mission San Francisco de Potano site in northwest Gainesville.
Some 400 years ago, a member of the Indigenous Potano-Timucua tribe made a small clay pot by hand. We don't know what it held or how many hands it passed through before students at the University of Florida found it earlier this year.
The students were part of a field course that learned archaeological skills while studying the centuries-old site. They excavated soil in search of artifacts and uncovered the intact pottery vessel, which is very rare.
Gifford Waters, collections manager for historical archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, said, 'You don't leave things behind that you can still use, so why was this purposefully put into a pit?' The students who found the pot were enrolled in a field course instructed by Gifford Waters and his colleague Charles Cobb.
The Mission San Francisco de Potano site is located in northwest Gainesville. In 1585, the Potano people moved to the area after Spanish forces pushed them from their home. A friar was sent to establish a mission in 1606, one of over 100 Catholic missions established in Florida to help prop up Spanish rule.
The students found many artifacts at the site, including glass beads, stone tools, nails, and animal bones left over from meals of turtle, freshwater fish, and turkey. The evidence of activities tells us that it was a cooking area and trash pit.
Why It Matters
This discovery is important because it helps us learn about the lives of people who lived in Florida centuries ago. It also shows how archaeology can help us understand our past and preserve cultural heritage.
Key Facts
- The students found a rare, intact pottery vessel from the 17th century at the Mission San Francisco de Potano site in northwest Gainesville.
- The pot was made by hand around 400 years ago by a member of the Indigenous Potano-Timucua tribe.
- Gifford Waters and his team have been studying the site since 2006 and have found over 7,000 artifacts, mostly Native American pottery.
- The Mission San Francisco de Potano was established in 1606 as one of over 100 Catholic missions in Florida to help prop up Spanish rule.
- The students who found the pot were part of a field course at the University of Florida.
Key Terms
- Pottery vessel
- A container made from clay, often used for storing or serving food and drinks.
- Indigenous Potano-Timucua tribe
- The original inhabitants of the area around northwest Gainesville, Florida, who were displaced by Spanish forces in 1585.
- Mission San Francisco de Potano
- A Catholic mission established in 1606 to help prop up Spanish rule in Florida.
Implications
This discovery is important because it helps us learn about the lives of people who lived in Florida centuries ago. It also shows how archaeology can help us understand our past and preserve cultural heritage.
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