Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site
Encyclopedia
The Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site is an archaeological
site on Terra Ceia Island
in northwestern Palmetto
, Florida
, United States
. It is located on Bayshore Drive, west of U.S. 19
, a mile south of I-275
. On August 12, 1970, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
. It is also a Florida State Park
.
The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) site was the first Native American location in Florida to be designated as a State Archaeological Site.
temple/ceremonial mound from shells, sand and detritus. It is still 20 feet (6.1 m) high, with a base nearly 100 by 170 feet (51.8 m). Such structures were characteristic of the Southeast Ceremonial Complex (SECC).
Scholars believe that the mound site continued to be of great ceremonial importance to the historic Tocobaga Indians
of the surrounding area, who coalesced as a people before European encounter in the late sixteenth century. They survived into the eighteenth century, but disappeared as a tribe due to infectious diseases and warfare.
. She and her husband, Karl, purchased the land around the main mound and donated it to the state in 1948.
to the west), sand, and detritus
, the mound's base is 100 by 170 feet (51.8 m). To more easily reach the top, the Tocobaga constructed a curved 10 feet (3 m) wide ramp on the western side.
The state park has graduated stairways for access, and at the top, has cleared an area (protected by a fence) for overlooking the park. Over the centuries, the mound has become covered with vegetation, including tall trees.
Also in the park are the remains of the Prine Burial Mound, which is circular, about 40 feet wide, and about two feet high at the center. It was used through the three major archeological cultures described above, from 800-1500 AD. Since settlement and development, much of the mound's contents have been disturbed.
tables have been installed. Nature trails and information kiosks are in the works.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
site on Terra Ceia Island
Terra Ceia, Florida
Terra Ceia is an unincorporated census-designated place in Manatee County, Florida, United States that includes the Terra Ceia State Park...
in northwestern Palmetto
Palmetto, Florida
Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was listed as 12,606 It is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Palmetto is located at ....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on Bayshore Drive, west of U.S. 19
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 is a north–south U.S. Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie....
, a mile south of I-275
Interstate 275 (Florida)
Interstate 275 in Florida serves the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, measuring 60.696 miles in length. The southern terminus is I-75 near Palmetto, just five miles east of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a toll bridge crossing Tampa Bay. The highway passes through St...
. On August 12, 1970, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It is also a Florida State Park
Florida State Parks
The Florida State Parks encompass the majority of the lands that fall under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. There are 160 such entities, including nature reserves, recreation areas, and historic sites, which can be found in every corner of the state...
.
The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) site was the first Native American location in Florida to be designated as a State Archaeological Site.
Pre-Columbian
Archeological excavations have established that indigenous occupation reaches back 2,000 years, and across three distinct periods: Manasota, Weedon Island, and Safety Harbor cultures. The people constructed a massive earthworkEarthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
temple/ceremonial mound from shells, sand and detritus. It is still 20 feet (6.1 m) high, with a base nearly 100 by 170 feet (51.8 m). Such structures were characteristic of the Southeast Ceremonial Complex (SECC).
Scholars believe that the mound site continued to be of great ceremonial importance to the historic Tocobaga Indians
Tocobaga
Tocobaga was the name of a chiefdom, its chief and its principal town during the 16th century in the area of Tampa Bay. The town was at the northern end of what is now called Old Tampa Bay, an arm of Tampa Bay that extends northward between the present-day city of Tampa and Pinellas County...
of the surrounding area, who coalesced as a people before European encounter in the late sixteenth century. They survived into the eighteenth century, but disappeared as a tribe due to infectious diseases and warfare.
Recent
The site is named for Madira Bickel of SarasotaSarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
. She and her husband, Karl, purchased the land around the main mound and donated it to the state in 1948.
The mounds
The point of greatest interest at the site is the 20 feet (6.1 m) high temple/ceremonial mound. Composed of shells (obtained from a middenMidden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
to the west), sand, and detritus
Detritus (biology)
In biology, detritus is non-living particulate organic material . It typically includes the bodies or fragments of dead organisms as well as fecal material. Detritus is typically colonized by communities of microorganisms which act to decompose the material...
, the mound's base is 100 by 170 feet (51.8 m). To more easily reach the top, the Tocobaga constructed a curved 10 feet (3 m) wide ramp on the western side.
The state park has graduated stairways for access, and at the top, has cleared an area (protected by a fence) for overlooking the park. Over the centuries, the mound has become covered with vegetation, including tall trees.
Also in the park are the remains of the Prine Burial Mound, which is circular, about 40 feet wide, and about two feet high at the center. It was used through the three major archeological cultures described above, from 800-1500 AD. Since settlement and development, much of the mound's contents have been disturbed.
Recreational activities
As the park is still being developed, picnicPicnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
tables have been installed. Nature trails and information kiosks are in the works.
External links
- Madira Bickel Mound State Archeological Site, Florida State Parks
- "Manatee County listings", National Register of Historic Places]
- Manatee County listings, Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
- "Madira Bickel Temple Mound Site", School District of Manatee County
- Madira Bickel Mound Photograph Gallery, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, University of South Florida