Paleoethnobotany of the Salt Springs Archaeological Site, Marion County, Florida

     Excavations at the Salt Springs Archaeological Site (8MR2322) in the Ocala National Forest, Florida, revealed a submerged, Middle to Late Archaic (approx. 6000-4000 years rcbp) black earth midden with exceptional organic preservation.  The initial paleoethnobotanical analyses have focused primarily on the significance and implications of two important economic plant taxa from the Cucurbitaceae family: the gourd/squash (Cucurbita sp.) and the bottle gourd (Lagenaria sp.).  The materials from this site provide valuable insight into the biogeography of both gourd species as well as ancient pre- or non-agricultural management and manipulation of these and other wild plant resources.