Most people are intrigued by archaeology, and the idea of digging up belongings of civilizations long past, to get a glimpse of the ancients’ daily lives. Today’s technology allows scientists to pinpoint almost exactly how old these artifacts are.
So just where were the oldest artifacts in the US found? One might think in the northeastern states, or possible California. But the oldest artifacts ever found In the United States were found in the southeastern US. The oldest was found along the Savannah River, the dividing line between Georgia and South Carolina; the next-oldest in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve on Black Hammock Island off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, dating to 2500 BC. The pottery shard is believed to be part of an olive jar.
Black Hammock Island and the city of Jacksonville are located in Duval County, Florida. The population of the county is 864,263; Jacksonville is the county seat. Duval County is named after William Pope DuVal, former Governor of the Florida Territory.
Duval County is bordered by Nassau County to the north, St. Johns County to the southeast, Clay County to the southwest and Baker County to the west. Cities and towns within the county include Atlantic Beach, Baldwin, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach. Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is one of its two national protected areas; For Caroline National Memorial, the first French colony in the US, is the other.
The county has a total area of 773 square miles of land and 144.57 square miles of water, much of that in the Atlantic Ocean. The median age is 34 years, and the median income for a household in the county is $40,703.
The University of North Florida continues to uncover ancient Mocama Indian artifacts that are located on Black Hammock Island, some dating as far back as 1560. The island, located within a marsh area at the edge of Jacksonville, lies almost directly adjacent to the Timucuan preserve. Established in 1988, the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve covers 46,000 acres and protects critical wetland habitats.
In 2011, University of North Florida launched “People Pay to Work on UNF Archaeological Dig” for those amateurs and graduate students who are interested in being part of the “dig” on Black Hammock Island.
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