UNF archeology students are digging deep at the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — University of North Florida archeology students getting a chance to touch the past this summer.

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More than 20 students are studying areas in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. This marks the start of a collaboration between UNF and the National Park Service.

“There is nothing like taking something out of the dirt and being like, “Wow, ok I found an artifact,” said Valeria Johnson, a UNF student.

The group started digging at the preserve about three weeks ago.

Dr. Keith Ashley, UNF’s Archaeology Lab Director, said there are large shell formations out there that they are sampling and looking to see how old they are.

“These are shellfish that Indigenous people harvested for food and then afterward they discard them,” said Dr. Ashley. “Because everything that’s dug out of it is also passed through a screen so we can pull out all the artifacts and the other animal bones.”

Within piles of shells the students dug up, they found artifacts like animal bones and even pottery that date back to about 1,000 years ago.

The group is working to see how fast the shells were deposited and if there is a meaning to their shapes and sizes.

“We are trying to figure out if these are just mere piles of garbage or is there something more architectural to them,” said Dr. Ashley.

The group will be out there until June 21st.

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