FORENSIC ARCHAEOLOGY: RECONSTRUCTING THE PRE-CONTACT ARCHAEOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES OF NORTH PORT
Dr. Maranda Kles
This society is named for two famous archaeological sites in North Port- Warm Mineral Springs (8So19) and Little Salt Spring (8So18). However, did you know that there is a third spring site with similar archaeological findings? This is the Nona Site (8So85D). This site was first recorded in the 1960s in a spring in southeast North Port. The archaeological site extended up the slough way, much like Little Salt Spring, and several dirt midden sites were found nearby which were likely associated with the spring burials. While some of the spring site has been protected, much of the slough and nearby dirt middens have been heavily damaged by development. Over the last few years, Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (ACI) has been conducting surveys in the area, working to reconstruct the original location of the sites and how they have been affected by development, as well as trying to better understand the people who used these sites thousands of years ago.
Maranda Kles is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with over 12 years of experience in prehistoric archaeology and physical anthropology specializing in Southeastern archaeology and bioarchaeology. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florida and her thesis examined the biological and cultural associations of skeletal samples from throughout Florida. Dr. Kles has continued to expand on this research and has developed research interests in forensic anthropology and Southeastern archaeology. Learn more about her and Archaeological Consultants at https://aci-crm.com/