The Windover Skeletons are a group of bodies found in 1982 in Titusville, Florida. These skeletons are believed to be roughly 9000 years old – older than most European bog bodies discovered to date – and the site contains no fewer than 168 burials.
Cause of Death
Unlike the other bog bodies we’ve covered in this blog, very few of the Windover skeletons met violent deaths. In fact, the location where they were found by all accounts appears to be not just a dumping site but an actual cemetery, where people of the time took their dead to be buried. Many of the skeletons, through scientific study, were found to have lived to ages upwards of 70 (a ripe old age at the time) and most, though displaying signs of hard labor throughout life, died of natural causes such as disease.
(All information taken from NOVA: America’s Bog People. See bibliography.)
Culture
The skeletal remains exhibited some very characteristic, but also some intriguing burial practices. The skeletons were most often found on their left sides in a fetal position with their heads west of their pelvises. This is likely in reference to the setting sun. Many bodies were discovered with traces of fabric around them, along with thousands of artifacts. These include bone tools, a wooden pestle and mortar, and a bottle gourd. Uniquely, many were staked down with wooden poles through these fabric shrouds. This was likely done to keep the bodies from floating to the surface of the body of water. It is identified that the bodies were buried within 48 hours of the individuals death because most skeletons had intact brain masses. In the climate of Florida, brain matter tends to liquify quickly in the humidity. Most burials took place in the late summer and fall. We know this because of the analysis of organic matter which was being grown at this time.
By examining the physical remains of these ancient people we can begin to imagine their day to day existence. Because the groups of burial appears to be a cemetery, we can conclud that they were a sedentary hunter-gatherer community. Analysis of organic remains reveal a rich surrounding eco-stystem which provided a diverse array of food sources which allowed them to remain in place. Paleobiologists identified over 30 species of edible and/or medicinal plants along with berries and wild fruits. The archaeologists were able to recover remains of stomach contents, one of which contained elderberry, nightshade, and holly. All of the evidence leads to a very stable life for the early Floridian inhabitants. They were able to sustain themselves on their surrounding food sources and had sophisticated textiles and tools.
Richardson, Joseph. “Windover Bog People Archaeological Research Project.” North Bevard Business Director. N.p., 1997. Web. 12 Apr 2012.
Preservation
This incredible find of New World bog bodies differs from the previous finds we have covered in several key areas. First the sheer multitude of bodies found at this site, in a cemetery like setting, is nothing like the situations in which most Old World bog bodies are found. But as far as the state of preservation is concerned, these ancient bodies are not as strikingly preserved as say the Lindow or Tollund man, but being found in a peat bog they are still in amazing condition. To the surprise of many archaeologists, the brain tissue of the skeletons was shown to be surprisingly intact. 91 of the approximately 168 skulls found at the site contained some amount of preserved brain tissue. The incredible significance of this find was taken very seriously and as much brain tissue as possible was frozen in nitrogen and stored at -70 degrees C. The brain tissue has yielded significant amounts of genetic information about who these people might have been. The wet conditions of the bog made any artifacts retrieved very susceptible to damage. Many different approaches were taken to ensure preservation of materials, but documentation of finds was made a priority incase degradation made them inaccessible in the future. About half of the skeletons were juvenile, suggesting a low life expectancy. Many of the skeletons of those who survived to live longer displayed signs of osteoporosis and arthritis. One 15 year old male suffered from spina bifida, which is interesting to note, because his physical state would have meant that the community would have needed to care for him. This notion of a caring society is also backed up by the skeleton of a woman who was severely crippled several years before she died. Much has been learned from these bodies and much more remains to be discovered. Their excellent state of preservation will carry their legacy long into the future.
Richardson, Joseph. “Windover Bog People Archaeological Research Project.” North Bevard Business Director. N.p., 1997. Web. 12 Apr 2012.
Ethics
The Windover bog peoples are an interesting group because the DNA that has been tested from them show that they are not distant relatives of the Native American groups (Tyson). Unfortunately, this DNA has been used (specifically on forums) to try to refute any claim that the Native Americans have to land and preservation of their culture. (This section is based on my own research into the DNA of the Windover skeletons, which brought up more of the above mentioned forum posts than any scholarly articles, unfortunately. Remember not to believe everything that you see on the internet!)
On a brighter note, though, the man who worked with the construction company that originally discovered the skeletons was a very helpful man. He was the first to notify archaeologists and police that they had uncovered bodies at the site, and without his keen eyes and quick decisions, it is possible that the site could have been destroyed. In fact, the backhoe operator was not the only one who made the site possible to be explored, as the developer who was in charge ultimately gave archaeologists the go-ahead to work on the site. (Information for this part of the post came from both the Nielson and Tyson articles.)
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