Norwood culture
Encyclopedia
The Norwood culture was a subculture or subperiod of the Archaic culture of (12,000 BCE
—4500 BCE
).
The Norwood culture was located in the Apalachee region, a forested and hilly part of what is now north Florida and was typical of other Archaic cultures using triangular-shaped projectile point
knives
which showed notches for attaching stone implements to shafts. It is widely accepted that Archaic cultures began using hand held spear
s to atlatl
s to more effectively bring down animals for clothing and consumption.
The specific difference between the Norwood and other Archaic cultures was that they were the first people to create and use fiber-tempered pottery
of Spanish moss
or strands of fiber from the palmetto
and decorated by making stick impressions on its outer surface prior to firing. Much of the Gulf coastal shell midden
s date to this Archaic period however some sites have been covered by rising sea level. Other sites have been destroyed by modern borrowing activities and development.
10th millennium BC
The 10th millennium BC marks the beginning of the Mesolithic and Epipaleolithic period, which is the first part of the Holocene epoch. Agriculture, based on the cultivation of primitive forms of millet and rice, occurred in Southwest Asia...
—4500 BCE
25th century BC
The 25th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2500 BCE to 2401 BCE.-Events:*c. 2900 BCE – 2334 BCE: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.*c. 2500 BCE: Rice was first introduced to Malaysia...
).
Projectile point
In archaeological terms, a projectile point is an object that was hafted to a projectile, such as a spear, dart, or arrow, or perhaps used as a knife....
knives
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
which showed notches for attaching stone implements to shafts. It is widely accepted that Archaic cultures began using hand held spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s to atlatl
Atlatl
An atlatl or spear-thrower is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart-throwing.It consists of a shaft with a cup or a spur at the end that supports and propels the butt of the dart. The atlatl is held in one hand, gripped near the end farthest from the cup...
s to more effectively bring down animals for clothing and consumption.
The specific difference between the Norwood and other Archaic cultures was that they were the first people to create and use fiber-tempered pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
of Spanish moss
Spanish Moss
Spanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak or Bald Cypress in the southeastern United States....
or strands of fiber from the palmetto
Palmetto
-Botany:Members of several genera of small palms:*the genus Sabal of the Arecaceae family**Dwarf Palmetto**Sabal palmetto*Saw Palmetto, Serenoa repens*Silver saw palmetto, Acoelorraphe wrightii-Place names:United States...
and decorated by making stick impressions on its outer surface prior to firing. Much of the Gulf coastal shell midden
Midden
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...
s date to this Archaic period however some sites have been covered by rising sea level. Other sites have been destroyed by modern borrowing activities and development.