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C> do i *10NP8 Form 10-900-a i®-8st United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet OMB Alppmar Iva, 1024-001a Section number, _ Page I Indian River Narrows Cultural Resource District Statement of historic Contexts Paleoindian ]Period (15,000 B.C. - 8,500 B.C.) The earliest recognizable occupational period in Florida dates from approximately 12,000 B,P. to 9000 B.P. and is known as the Paleoindian, or simply "Paleo," Period. Because much of this period fell within a time of lower sea levels and drier environmental conditions, the rise in sea levels, water tables, changed vegetative communities, and extensive passage of time have combined to obscure or obliterate much of the scant remains of these earliest Floridians. As noted above, however, there is direct evidence of the existence of Paleo populations in Indian River County and the surrounding region from human remains found in direct association with fossil deposits in Vero Beach, Melbounte, and Winter Beach (Rouse 1981:65-68). Purely makes a succinct yet cogent argument for early Paleoindian populations in I,lorida based on recovered evidence, such as a radiocarbon -dated extinct bison skull with a stone projectile point embedded into it and etched ivory artifacts from extinct species of elephants (Purdy 1996:3-7). Sellards also found what appeared to be etched elephant tusks in association with human skeletal material at the Vero Beach fossil site (1916; 191.7). The sulistantial climatic and natural vegetative changes which have occurred since the end of the Paleoindian period have made finding in .situ Paleoindian materials extremely rare. Large grasslands which once covered much of the state are now obscured by dense pine forests or wetlands, often with a more recent, thick hardpan stratum overlaying the older soil layers. Other Paleoindian sites are undoubtedly submerged off the coast where ancient shorelines existed, but have zince been covered over by a considerable rise in sea level. Archaic Period (8,500 B.C. - 500 B.C.) The dramatic environmental shifts that had nrrurred by nibot�t 9000 B.P. forced the hurnan communities of the Florida peninsula to adapt to a wholly differeat subs:stetace strategy. Instead oz iauntinf large terresrriai land mammals --which by now were largely extinct-- for a significant portion of their diet, a "total exploitation" food procurement strategy became common. This meant that the people used whatever may be edible in their locale, with certain foods such as deer, shellfish, fish, and nuts becoming dietary staples (Purdy 1996:12). The Archaic peoples invented or began to commonly use a large assortment of tools and instruments to assist then .in !heir varied endeavors for food procurement and preparation. Spear throwers (atlads), fishing hooks and spears, small game snares and darts, fiber basketry, and stone and wand mortars cvcrc all used during the Archaic Period (McGoun 1993: 53; Purdy 1996:13; Milanich 1994:67).