The Miami River Circle is located along the southern bank of the Miami River estuary where the river flows into Biscayne Bay, or at 401 Brickell Avenue in the City of Miami in Miami-Dade Country, Florida. The Miami River Circle site was discovered in September 1998 while Miami-Dade Country researchers conducted routine archaeological investigations.
The site was located at the location of the former Brickell Trading Post. Recently, it was a 1950s-era 6-story apartment building that was demolished for the foundation of two multi-story apartment towers.
The Structure of the Circle: The Miami River Circle contains patterns of 24 main basin holes and multiple smaller holes that have been scooped out of the oolitic limestone bedrock. The basins are approximately 2 feet deep and up to 5 feet long. Together these holes comprise a large circle of about 38 feet in diameter. There are also various unique features at this site.There is an intended marking of the cardinal points. A series of holes forms an east-west line with a carving of a human-like eye at the circle' s eastern point that might have some association with the equinox and solstice. Other directions were indicated with distinctive cuts or rocks set in the holes.
The Age of the CircleAccording to Robert S. Carr, the County Archaeologist responsible for the studies of this circle, the age of the site might be 500 to 800 years old, not as old as the pyramids in Egypt or in Mexico. Local archaeologists believe the circle to be between 500 to 800 years old because of the specific types of pottery was found near the Circle.
John RIcisak, Field Director on this project, recognized that it is necessary to date the circle itself in a scientific way. Currently, two radiocarbon dating tests have been conducted. Charcoal fragments were collected from within one of the Circle's 30 basins and from the midden inside of the Circle. Both samples dated to circa 100 A.D, although these tests may not be always applicable to measure the age of the circle.
Today, it is estimated that the Circle is at least 1,800 to 2,000 years old. According to Bob Carr, Director of the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Division, the site can be over 2,000 years old, but more dating tests are needed to determine the age. Animal bones, shells and additional charcoal samples are used for the dating tests.
People who Built the CircleIt is widely believed that the Miami River Circle was built by indigenous native Americans of the Tequesta tribe, who previously dominated southeast Florida. Tequesta (pronounced Te-kes-ta) had a small population of around 1,000 people. It is believed that the Brickell Point was the southern part of the aboriginal village of Tequesta that used to exist on both the north and south banks of the Miami River.
It is possible that the Tequesta or their ancestors migrated to this area about 10,000 years ago from what is now California. The rich marine and coastal environment along Biscayne Bay in Florida helped the development of a complex social chiefdom without an agricultural base. In the early 1500s, Tequestas were drove away by warfare and disease after the arrival of European colonists, such as Spanish soldiers and French priests.The Tequesta became extinct about 300 years ago. Nowadays, there is very little known about the tribe and little of their adaptations and cultural affiliations.
The Purpose of the Circle Some archaeologists regard the circle as a calendar or some sort, a Native American or Miami version of Stonehenge, used as the celestical calendar or astronomical observatory. However, most archaeologists theorized that the finding of the site illustrates the bedrock of a circular framework, possibly either a council house, chiefs house or temple. The circular characteristic of the site might portray the perfect footprint or the location of support posts for the internal footprint of a Tequesta structure. The square basins reflect holes used to place wooden posts. Some scholars think that the Circle had a ceremonial importance. The Miami River Circle seemed like a sacred place and had some mystical or spiritual meanings.
Site SignificanceThe Miami River Circle is considered to be of local, regional and statewide significant. The Circle could also be of national significance because the site is the only complete cut-in-rock prehistoric structural footprint ever discovered in eastern North America.The Circle potentially meets the criteria for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
Artifacts Found at the Circle Artifacts such as buried shark, an eye motif cut into the rock, a basaltic axe offering, and other items point out that the circle had ceremonial importance to the Tequesta. Two delicately crafted stone axes were discovered along the eastern part of the Circle. One of the axes was found within a pothole. Both of these stone axes were made of basalt, an effusive rock not native to Florida.
Animal offerings included a complete sea turtle carapace and the articulated remnant of a six foot shark discovered from inside the circle. Each was directed east-west, a practice usually reflective of culturally-defined burial practices. Several teeth of extinct monk seal teeth were discovered from within the circles interior. No human burials have been found, but several human teeth have been uncovered. Some scholars assumed that the basin represented the figures of sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, manatee, shrimp and other marine animals..
Archaeologists who were Involved in this Investigation Two archaeologists, with years of professional archaeological experience, contributed to the discovery and determination of the significance of the Circle - Robert S. Carr and John M. Rlcisak. Carr was the former Director of the Historic Preservation Division of Miami-Dade Country. John M. RIcisak is an archaeologist for the Miami-Dade Country Office of Community and Economic Developments Historic Preservation Division, and the Field Director of excavations at the Miami River Circle.
Site Preservation Although a number of modern construction (and demolition) activities have taken place at the site, the Circle is surprisingly intact. It is estimated that 85 percent of it was preserved. Brickell Point contains intact prehistoric midden deposits on at least 50 percent to 75 percent of the section.This material includes a large amount of well preserved shell, bone, ceramics, and other artifacts left during several centuries of human occupation.
Problems The Miami River Circle is facing the ever-present danger of modern development. Native American groups and archaeologists argue that further disturbance would damage remaining artifacts and disturb the nature of the site. As a result, the Archaeological and Historical Conservancy is collecting donations to preserve the site
References
http://www.nps.gov/bisc/miamicircle.htm Biscayne NP - The Miami Circle. National Park Service. (September 28, 1999) October 23, 2000
http://www.uniforce-spirit.com/history.htm October 23, 2000 A History of the Miami Circle: The Past. Global Celebrations
http://www.accesspro.net/dig/home.htm October 22, 2000 Inside the Miami Circle. ParaScope. (1999)
http://www.parascope.com/en/articles/miamiCircle.htm October 22, 2000 Miami Circle
http://www.miamicircle.org/ September 29, 2000 Nature & Archaeology. Miami-Dade Country. (January 15,1996)
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/parks/natarch.htm October 22, 2000 The Miami Circle.... Labyrinthina.Com. (2000)
http://www.labyrinthina.com/circle.htm October 22, 2000
http://www.miamicircle.org/circle2.html Photographs of Miami River Circle
http://209.207.141.249/en/articles/circleAERIAL.jpg
http://209.207.141.249/en/articles/overbig.jpg
http://www.miamicircle.org/photos.html Photograph of Miami River Circle and surrounding area
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/parks/natarch.htm Map of Downtown Miami, and the location of the Miami River Circle
http://accesspro.net/dig/home.htm#Where is it?
Written By Kozue Takahashi