Background
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Shell Mound was added to the Lower Suwannee NWR in 1998. It is located on Highway 326 about eight miles from the town of Cedar Key. An RV and tent campground owned and operated by Levy County is adjacent to the Shell Mound Unit.
Shell Mound attracts thousands of visitors each year. Some come to fish from the pier. Others put in their kayaks and small boats at the tide-dependent launch area. Some walk the one-mile Dennis Creek Trail through marshes and hammocks. For many, the highlight of the visit is the walk on the self-guided, less than a half-mile Shell Mound archaeological trail. |
Guided archaeology walk on the Shell Mound trail.
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About Shell Mound
3D Model of Shell Mound from the UF Laboratory of Southeastern Archaeology
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Despite its unassuming name, Shell Mound (8LV42 to archaeologists), is a large shell-bearing archaeological site that was once the location of special gatherings for Native American groups across the broader region.
The site rose to prominence as a ritual center at about A.D. 400 and continued through A.D. 650. Archaeologists refer to places such as this as “civic-ceremonial centers,” locations of both residence and ritual activity. Like other civic-ceremonial centers in the region, Shell Mound drew its significance from a nearby cemetery, the hallowed ground of ancestors from far and wide. |
The site features mounds of marine shell (predominately oyster) measuring 20 feet high surrounding a large central plaza. Excavations by archaeologists from the University of Florida have discovered the remains of large feasts that took place in the summer–likely celebrating the Summer Solstice–the longest day of the year.
Learn more about Shell Mound and its inhabitants by taking the self-guided walking tour. The descriptive panels and 10-page booklet can be viewed here.
Learn more about Shell Mound and its inhabitants by taking the self-guided walking tour. The descriptive panels and 10-page booklet can be viewed here.
Latest News
Shell Mound Recovery Update
from Lukas Desjardins, member of Friends' Board of Directors and UF graduate student of public archaeology
Jason Coates dumping fill from the top of Shell Mound
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With post-hurricane recovery excavations completed at Shell Mound, and the next hurricane season already underway, the refuge has begun the process of restoring Shell Mound. On Monday, July 7th, our crew from UF’s Laboratory of Southeastern Archaeology joined refuge staff to assist with the process of infilling damaged portions of the south ridge.
Refuge staff brought in crushed lime rock to infill the damaged portions of the south ridge. The hope is that after a few rains, once the material settles, it will begin to harden and create a more durable surface to survive future storms. By recreating a more natural slope on the south ridge, wave energy will be better attenuated during storm surges and waves will be less likely to undercut the site. Read more. |
Previous recovery updates
Archaeological Research at the Refuges
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Archaeology within the refuge is not limited to Shell Mound, which is just one of dozens of sites from Garden Patch in the North to sites around Cedar Key. Lead by Dr. Ken Sassaman, the University of Florida's Laboratory of Southeastern Archaeology (LSA) has collaborated with the refuge on a long term archaeological research program since 2009 under the Lower Suwannee Archaeological Survey. The refuge is a unique landscape on Florida's Gulf Coast, representing one of the few places where limited modern development allows archaeologists to get a bigger picture view of the range of human activity across it's 42 kilometer long coastline.
Technical reports and articles on Lower Suwannee Archaeological Survey are available through the LSA website. Here you can learn about: |
Overview of archaeological sites in the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
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Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532 Cedar Key, FL 32625 [email protected] We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. |
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