Low Mound at Point La Vista, Duval County
Point La Vista, on the eastern bank of the St. Johns, is about four miles above Jacksonville.
In a cultivated field about one-half mile in a northerly direction from the landing was a mound much reduced in height by the plow. Its diameter of base, at the time of its total demolition by us, was 55 feet; its height, 2 feet 4 inches. The mound at the central portion had a thickness of 5 feet between the surface and where the sand ceased to show an admixture of charcoal, that is to say about 2.5 feet above the level of the surrounding territory and an equal distance below it. Yellow sand with no traces of charcoal or sherds, marked the bottom of the mound and into this again certain small pits had been dug, as was shown by the darker color of the sand employed to fill them.
Somewhat below the level of the surrounding territory was a stratum over one foot in thickness of sand blackened by fire, containing abundant particles of charcoal. Above this layer were brown sand and white sand intermingled at places, surmounted by a stratum of cherry-colored sand owing its tint to the use of Hematite, of irregular thickness—averaging, perhaps, 1 foot. This bright colored stratum lay beneath a superficial layer of brownish sand about 1 foot in thickness.
Interments were in considerable numbers—between thirty and forty—and in the last stage of decay, some in fact so far gone that the method of burial was not determined, but in all cases where sufficient evidence remained the burial in anatomical order was indicated.
Quantities of sherds were in every portion of the mound; some plain, others with punctate decoration, and others again bearing the square or the diamond-shaped stamp common to Florida ware. Intricate stamped decoration, prevalent in Georgia and present in many mounds of Duval County, was not met with.
About 3 feet from the surface was a bowl of approximately one gallon capacity, of ordinary type, bearing the square stamped decoration. The bottom had been intentionally knocked out. No human remains were discovered in the immediate neighborhood.
In a pocket of brownish sand, extending into the untouched sand below the mound, seemingly a small grave, over 5 feet from the surface, in the central portion of the base, with human remains, was an undecorated earthenware pipe (Fig. [1]) of the usual type of the mounds of Duval County.
A curious earthenware knob, evidently broken from some vessel, lay in the sand.
Two polished hatchets were met with, one with human remains, 6 inches from the surface, the other in caved sand.
On a fireplace 5 feet from the surface were certain bones of the deer.
Several chips of chert, a rude implement of chert, a hone of sandstone and two chert arrowheads, were found separately in the sand.
Fig. 1.—Tobacco pipe of earthenware. Low Mound at Point La Vista. (Length over curve, 5⅞ in.)
Loose in the sand were several conchs, a number of oyster-shells and the columella of a large marine univalve worked to a point.
As this portion of Florida has been long under cultivation, it is impossible to say what artifacts may have been removed by the plow in previous years.