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University of Central Florida researchers are excavating an ancient midden site at Cape Canaveral, uncovering evidence of Indigenous life dating back centuries along Florida’s Atlantic coast.(Neil Duncan)

“They didn’t farm, although research by Neil Duncan has shown that at least some people in the region had access to ground corn, which was being farmed by theIndigenous peopleof North Florida,” she said.

Instead of farming, Native Americans in the area largely relied on local resources, though some people in the region had access to imported foods such as corn and beans.

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They alsodined on seafood, including shark, fish, clams and other local species — remains of which have turned up in the midden.

“We know from our finds this year at DeSoto that turtles, shark, black drum, and coquina clams were on the menu.”

“We have found the refuse of many dozens of meals,” she said.“We know from our finds this year at DeSoto that turtles, shark, black drum, and coquina clams were on the menu.”

Barber added, “So, ancient people fished the lagoon and the beachfront.Once we canadd in the plant remains, which take longer to process in a lab, we’ll know whether these animals were supplemented with plant foods like acorns and greenbriar.”

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The professor said there is even evidence of seasonings — suggesting ancient people “spiced up their food just like we do.”

“We have made a number of really interesting finds this year,” she said.

Excavations at the DeSoto site have uncovered food remains and artifacts that shed light on daily life during the Malabar II Period between 900 and 1565 A.D.(Neil Duncan)

Those finds include the “complete vertebralcolumn of a shark,” which the Native Americans would have eaten, as well as “something that is either a fossil or a whale bone near the shark.”

The anthropologist said the unidentified object “has really stumped us.”

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hundreds of pottery sherds,as well as “the remnants of at least one hearth where food was likely cooked.”

“It was probably a comfortable, beachfront lifestyle.”

Barber added that samples still need to be sent to anoutside lab for radiocarbon dating.

At the site, archaeologists also found tools such as conch shell hammers and shark tooth knives used to prepare food.

Excavations suggest that Indigenous communities lived in relatively dense populations while relying entirely on locally sourced food for generations.(Christina Threlkeld, Neil Duncan)

“The Indigenous people ofCape Canaveral lived in relatively dense communities and relied 100% on locally obtained food,” Barber said.

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“They did it for thousands of years, and they didn’t put the kind of stress onthe local environmentthat we have in far less time.”

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Rather than living hand-to-mouth, Barber said the community was well-connected and far from isolated.

“Our sites show an abundance and diversity of food, time to produce pottery when needed, and the opportunity to either travel or interact with people in distant regions,” she said.

“There are few places in the world highlighting the role of the past in the present than somewhere like Cape Canaveral,” said Barber.(John Raoux/AP Photo)

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“It was probably acomfortable, beachfront lifestyle.”

Above all, Barber said the excavations show how the past and present can exist side by side.

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“There are few places in the world highlighting the role of the past in the present than somewhere like Cape Canaveral, where the future of space flight literally sits atop and among Native American landscapes,” she said.