January 21: Orientation at Oakland Nature Preserve 12:00-5:00pm
January 28: 9am-4pm Thomas House
February 4: TBA, 9am-4pm ONP lab or Oakland Cemetery
February 11: 9am-4pm Oakland Cemetery or ONP lab
February 18: Oakland Nature Preserve 9am-4pm (Lab, ONP Open House)
February 25: Oakland Cemetery or ONP lab
March 3-4: Fort Lane Park in Geneva (Seminole County) 10am-4pm.
March 24: TBA

The February presentation will be given by Dr. Leslie Sue Lieberman, Profesor Emerita of Anthropology at the University of Central Florida.  She posits that evolutionary theory provides insights for interpreting the human proclivity for fatness in our recent and novel obesogenic environment of plentiful, energetically low cost, high energy density and good tasting food.  Understanding the underlying mechanisms of obesity can provide a basis for more effective interventions to stem this growing pandemic and its consequences such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and musculoskeletal disorders.

This presentation is free and open to the public.  For more information contact Kevin Gidusko at kagidusko@hotmail.com or (321) 948-3994.

Dr. Nancy White

The January CFAS meeting will feature a presentation by Dr. Nancy Marie White, Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Florida.  Her northwest Florida research is in the Apalachicola/Lower Chattahoochee Valley, a rich environmental and archaeological region.  Investigating 12,000 years of human culture has often involved high adventure in the field. Paleo-Indian settlement, with Clovis and other remains, was off the main river. Holocene river shifts led to Early Archaic change. Late Archaic had fiber-tempered pottery and connections with Poverty Point, westward across the Gulf. Mounds appeared in Early Woodland and were abundant during Middle Woodland, with both Swift Creek and early Weeden Island ceramics, lasting through A.D. 650. During Late Woodland maize cultivation began. The Fort Walton period represents Mississippian chiefdoms with a distinctive identity. Spanish invaders did not enter the region but a few of their artifacts did. Population collapse may have led to in-migration of foreign natives after 1700.  Later, Creeks from Alabama and Georgia moved in, to become Seminoles.  The region was important through the Civil War and in late nineteenth  century international commerce. Work at sites of all time periods has also involved lots of public archaeology.

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information contact Kevin Gidusko at kagidusko@hotmail.com or (321) 948-3994.

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information contact Kevin Gidusko at kagidusko@hotmail.com or (321) 948-3994. The potluck will begin around 6:30pm with the speaker starting around 7pm.

In Search of 16th Century St. Augustine

Thursday, September 8 · 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Walking the streets of St. Augustine can confuse the visitor in search of the 16th century, but 500 year old sites are there—often beneath their feet. This presentation will synthesize work done by archaeologists over the past century, focus on small objects that bring ordinary people in the 16th century to life, and touch on the public benefit of the city’s twenty year old archaeological ordinance. Those planning to partake in the city’s 450th birthday party in 2015 can take home a walking tour map developed by our very own city archaeologist, Carl Halbirt.

Sarah Miller serves as Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network Northeast Regional Center, statewide coordinator for Project Archaeology, and sits on the Historic Resource Review Board for St. Johns County. She received her Masters degree in Anthropology from East Carolina University in 2001. This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information contact Kevin Gidusko at kagidusko@hotmail.com or (321) 948-3994.

Registration desk readying for the rush.

Folks at the Friday evening reception at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater

May 6-8 the Central Florida Anthropological Society hosted the 63rd Annual Florida Anthropological Society Conference in Orlando.  The reception and conference were at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater in beautiful Loch Haven Park.  The Awards Banquet took place at the historic Dubsdread Tap Room, located in Winter Park and one of the first golf courses in the area.  This was the culmination of over a year’s worth of planning by CFAS volunteers and it was an unequivocal success!

Good conversation and good times at the reception.

Close to 200 attended the conference on Saturday, May 7th.  We had a record number of papers presented at close to 40, so many that we had to rent extra theater space.  Those attending poured in from all over the state to hear the latest research conducted in Florida.

Volunteers setting up for the festivities.

A huge thanks to all of our volunteers, vendors, and all of those who visited us!  We had a great time and hopefully had a chance to show of another side of Orlando to those who visited.  Though conference planning isn’t the most fun way to spend your afternoons, the pay off was extremely worth it and we’re all looking forward to next year’s FAS in Tallahassee!

Kevin Gidusko

Making sure the kegs are at ready.