7,000-Year-Old Native American Underwater Burial Site Discovered Off The Coast Of Florida

AncientPages.com - A 7,000-year -old Native American underwater burial site has been discovered off the coast of Florida, near the Venice shoreline.

Archaeologists now hope this discovery leads to more knowledge and a greater understanding of Florida’s early peoples.

“Seeing a 7,000-year-old site that is so well preserved in the Gulf of Mexico is awe inspiring. We are truly humbled by this experience,” Dr. Ryan Duggins, an underwater archaeology supervisor for the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research said.

Credit: Florida Department Of State

Out of respect for the individuals buried there and their living descendants, divers and other interested individuals are prohibited from disturbing the site. The site is protected under Florida law and it is illegal to excavate and/or remove any material or human remains from the site.

See also:

Secrets Of Mysterious Lost Kingdom Of Calusa In Florida And The Shell Indians

Luna Settlement: First Multi-Year European Settlement Identified In Pensacola, Florida

Fremont Indians: Unique 2,500-Year-Old Forgotten Culture Of North America

“The Florida Department of State takes our responsibility for the preservation, respectful treatment and security of this rare and unique site very seriously,” said Secretary Detzner. “Our dedicated team of underwater archaeologists has done an incredible job of documenting and researching the Manasota Key Offshore archaeological site, and I am extremely proud of the work.”

A carved wooden stake. Credit: Florida Department Of State

So far archaeologists have discovered six individual sets of human remains, but “there’s probably going to be a lot more”.

According to scientists, 7,000 years ago the water level in the Gulf of Mexico was about 30 feet below compared to today. It's likely the pond at the time was on dry land about 9 feet above sea level.

It is believed ancestors of Florida's indigenous people laid their family members to rest at the site.

Windover Pond is one of the most significant archaeological finds ever made in North America. Read more

Some years ago, archaeologists discovered Windover Pond, a remarkable 8,000-year-old underwater cemetery off the coast of Florida. This new underwater discovery can help us acquire more knowledge about ancient people living in the region and this is by no means the first time we learn about an intriguing archaeological discovery from Florida.

As Ancient Pages reported previously, some years ago archaeologists discovered 14,500-year-old artifacts in an ancient sinkhole in Florida. The finding could re-write history of North America, because it shows that humans settled the southeastern United States as much as 1,500 years earlier than scientists previously believed.

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