Papers: Florida by Rick Schulting
A suite of scientific approaches are applied to four pre-
Columbian wood sculptures from east-cen... more A suite of scientific approaches are applied to four pre-
Columbian wood sculptures from east-central Florida, comprising new
radiocarbon determinations, wood identification and strontium isotope
analysis. The dates for three large zoomorphic carvings recovered from
the St. Johns River at Hontoon Island place them between ca. AD 1300 and
1600, suggesting that they belonged to a tradition of erecting largescale
pine carvings spanning at least some centuries. Two of the carvings
have strontium isotope signals consistent with the immediate vicinity of
the site, while the third differs significantly. Baseline data for
biologically available strontium from sampled modern trees indicates
considerable isotopic variability over short distances, making it
difficult to determine the source of the wood used for this third
carving. The only anthropomorphic sculpture, recovered from the vicinity
of Tomoka State Park, dates to a similar time period, ca. AD 1440-1620.
Our study confirms the wood's previous identification as belonging to the
genus Peltophorum, a tropical hardwood thought not to be native to
Florida. Its strontium isotope value is consistent with its find
location, but equally may be found over much of southern Florida, where
perhaps the species grew in the past. The results clarify the chronology
for a stylistically distinctive carving tradition, as well as raising
questions concerning the exchange of organic materials over varying
distances.
Highlights
• 14C results for four east-central Florida carvings (Hontoon Island; Tomoka State Park) range ca. AD 1300-1600, spanning the proto-historic/historic periods
• 87Sr/86Sr results for two of the three Hontoon carvings are consistent with the immediate locale, while the third suggests a different provenance
• Pinus sp. was used at Hontoon, while Peltophorum sp., currently not native to Florida, was used at Tomoka
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Papers: Florida by Rick Schulting
Columbian wood sculptures from east-central Florida, comprising new
radiocarbon determinations, wood identification and strontium isotope
analysis. The dates for three large zoomorphic carvings recovered from
the St. Johns River at Hontoon Island place them between ca. AD 1300 and
1600, suggesting that they belonged to a tradition of erecting largescale
pine carvings spanning at least some centuries. Two of the carvings
have strontium isotope signals consistent with the immediate vicinity of
the site, while the third differs significantly. Baseline data for
biologically available strontium from sampled modern trees indicates
considerable isotopic variability over short distances, making it
difficult to determine the source of the wood used for this third
carving. The only anthropomorphic sculpture, recovered from the vicinity
of Tomoka State Park, dates to a similar time period, ca. AD 1440-1620.
Our study confirms the wood's previous identification as belonging to the
genus Peltophorum, a tropical hardwood thought not to be native to
Florida. Its strontium isotope value is consistent with its find
location, but equally may be found over much of southern Florida, where
perhaps the species grew in the past. The results clarify the chronology
for a stylistically distinctive carving tradition, as well as raising
questions concerning the exchange of organic materials over varying
distances.
Highlights
• 14C results for four east-central Florida carvings (Hontoon Island; Tomoka State Park) range ca. AD 1300-1600, spanning the proto-historic/historic periods
• 87Sr/86Sr results for two of the three Hontoon carvings are consistent with the immediate locale, while the third suggests a different provenance
• Pinus sp. was used at Hontoon, while Peltophorum sp., currently not native to Florida, was used at Tomoka