Above photo: Junior anthropology major Stephanie Pereira unearths fragments at Weedon Island archaeological site, searching for clues to lives of past civilizations. Anna Bryson | The Crow’s Nest
By Anna Bryson
Tucked away in the most densely populated county in Florida, is a 3,190-acre coastal system that indigenous peoples occupied for thousands of years.
USF St. Petersburg anthropology students conduct excavations at this natural area on Old Tampa Bay called Weedon Island. Led by John W. Arthur, associate professor of anthropology at USF St. Petersburg, 16 students unearthed artifacts of indigenous people every weekend in February.
Weedon Island, located in North St. Petersburg, is home to one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Southeast known for unearthing beautiful pottery.
Students who participated in the excavations are enrolled in the class Seminar in Archaeological Methods and Theory.
The class was created by Dr. John Arthur and is only taught once every two years because it takes students two years after the class to analyze all of the materials found in the excavation.
The site the students excavated is the type site for Weedon Island, meaning it is considered the model of the Weedon Island people’s culture.
Dr. John Arthur is president of the Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education, which is is a non-profit organization that facilitates long-term archaeological research on Weedon Island.
The class, which is for undergraduate students but has graduate student volunteers, uncovers the rich cultural history of the indigenous people by uncovering and analyzing artifacts they find on the site.
“A lot of times I’ve done archaeology where you dig and dig and you don’t find anything,” Dr. John Arthur said.
This recent expedition is far from the case.
Students this semester have made incredible discoveries, including post holes, which suggest the remnants of an open house. Marsh mussels were used to stabilized the posts, which leads students to investigate the possible symbolic meaning.
“We found multiple artifacts laying flat, which suggests that it was a house floor,” said Liz Southard graduate anthropology student and USF St. Petersburg general education assistant. “This is evidence of a structure or living surface, which was really exciting.”
Southard spent two summers in Ethiopia with Dr. John Arthur and his wife, Dr. Kathy Arthur, who is also an anthropology professor at USF St. Petersburg.
“They continue to serve as mentors for me post graduate, which is a unique thing that students get at USFSP as opposed to huge campuses,” said Southard.
It’s unique for students to be able to conduct excavations and get real field work experience during their undergraduate studies. They gain firsthand experience in proper excavation techniques and learn how to look for anomalies that describe human behavior.
Students are working with Dr. John Arthur on an article that they intend to publish in a peer-reviewed journal.
On the site, students also found what looks like an activity area, filled with remnants of shell-based tools such as hammers.
Through excavations, students have found clues about the indigenous people of Weedon Island; their diet, activities and everyday lives.
