FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY


tor and academia.

 There have been inconsistencies in the naming of springs. We have attempted to make
names more clear in this volume. For example, a spring site that physically has one vent is
no longer referred to as springs Wakulla Springs becomes Wakulla Spring. Also, if a river
rise was called a spring, the term river rise now replaces the spring.

 There are many Blue Springs in Florida. FDEP scientists have adopted the convention
of referring to these springs with the county name placed before the name "Blue Spring."
Thus, Blue Spring in Jackson County becomes Jackson Blue Spring.

 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SPRINGS

 Archaeological research has shown that Florida's springs have been important to
human inhabitants for many thousands of years. Prehistoric peoples exploited the concen-
tration of resources found in and around springs. Water, chert and game animals were all
available in and near springs. Today, springs serve as recreation areas and continue to
attract people because of their unique beauty.

 Florida's first people, called paleoindians, left behind evidence of their culture in the
form of chert, bone and ivory tools that date to more than 12,000 years before present
(Figure 4) (Dunbar et al., 1988). These people coexisted with large now extinct megafaunal
animals like mastodon, mammoth, ground sloth, giant beaver, and giant armadillo. During
the late Pleistocene, 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, sea level was as much as 300 ft (100 m)
below present levels. Deep springs and sinkholes may have been some of the only sources
of fresh water in ancient Florida. Investigations at Wakulla Spring, Hornsby Spring,
Ichetucknee Springs, and the Wacissa River have shown that paleoindians were living
around springs and utilizing the resources of these areas.

 One example of prehistoric human utilization of springs comes from Warm Mineral
Springs, located in Sarasota County. Archaeologists recovered human remains from a ledge
located 43 ft (13 m) below the water level that contained preserved brain material. The
remains were radiocarbon dated and produced an age of 10,000 +/- 200 years before present
(Royal and Clark, 1960). Other archaeological material and fossils were recovered from this
site, which has proven to be one of the most important archaeological sites in the south-
eastern United States.

 As the Pleistocene Epoch came to a close in Florida, many environmental changes were
taking place. The large megafaunal animals that once had roamed the Florida landscape,
were becoming extinct. Global weather patterns changed, and sea level began to rise. As
these drastic changes were taking place, Florida's human inhabitants had to adapt. As
water tables rose, springs became more abundant and people continued to exploit the
resources in and around the springs. Prehistoric peoples living around springs built large
shell middens and mounds as they disposed of the inedible portions of their food items.
Numerous examples of these mounds exist throughout the state with some of the best exam-
ples being located along the St. Johns, Ocklawaha, and the Aucilla/Wacissa River systems.
Abundant supplies of fresh water, aquatic food sources, chert and clay sources, and the sheer
beauty of Florida's springs made them perfect habitation sites.