Welcoming the Light: A Winter Solstice Recap

​The Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuges marked the winter solstice with a memorable gathering at the Shell Mound archaeological site, drawing nearly forty participants to one of the most meaningful days of the year.

The event began at 4:30 p.m. with a guided walk along the Shell Mound Trail led by Friends board member Lukas Desjardins, M.A. Anthropology (in progress), who is currently conducting field work at Shell Mound. His presentation along the trail was engaging and informative, bringing the landscape to life through careful explanation and thoughtful storytelling.

​During the walk, Lukas explained that the shell mounds were purpose-built by the area’s ancient inhabitants and highlighted archaeological features that reveal how, when, and why they were used. 

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​Through these observations, participants were offered a glimpse into the daily lives, practices, and ingenuity of the Indigenous peoples who lived and gathered here for generations. His insights helped connect the physical remains of the site with the human stories behind them.

​Following the walk, the group gathered on the landward side of the pier for snacks, beverages, and conversation before moving to the end of the pier as the sun lowered in the sky. The air was cool and comfortable, the sky clear, and the shortest day of the year unfolded toward the longest night. While the no-see-ums made a brief appearance, they did little to detract from the moment. Against this setting, Lukas spoke about the extraordinary archaeological and historical significance of Shell Mound, the Palmetto Mound burial site and similar sites, emphasizing their spiritual, cultural, and practical importance to ancient peoples who traveled from far south in the peninsula and well to the north to gather here.

Lukas' remarks wove together past, present, and future—touching on modern  techniques used to study the site and why this work matters today. By learning about the people of the past, we gain insight into ourselves and our shared human story. 

As Lukas' talk came to a close, beyond Hog Island, the sun settled on the horizon, 240 degrees east of north, a breathtaking sight and a powerful reminder that this same spectacle would have been witnessed by the site’s ancient ancestors, connecting generations across time on the winter solstice.