View of Old Tampa Bay
by Terri Mills
Title
View of Old Tampa Bay
Artist
Terri Mills
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Photo from atop the Tocobaga Indian Mound at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, Florida on June 12th, 2010. Copyright Terri Mills All Rights Reserved
Description taken from: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/29/Northpinellas/The_sacred_hill_of_Ph.shtml
This is a gorgeous view and has some awesome breezes off Old Tampa Bay. The hill in Philippe Park is the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay area, according Vance Perkey, assistant park supervisor, who has researched the Tocobaga. The culture is believed to have occupied the area from around 900 A.D. until the late 1600s. Records suggest that this area in Safety Harbor was the "capital city" of the Tocobaga tribe.
It was an estuary culture of tall, muscular and agile people. They carried bows, arrows and spears. They made many of their tools from bones and shell.
They weren't big on clothing but liked tattoos. "We know that they were a class society ranked by a birthright or being known as a fierce warrior," Perkey said. "They used tattoos to identify their rank or privilege. I've read that if they tattooed themselves to a rank or status they weren't entitled to, it would be removed, and we aren't talking laser surgery here."
He said the type of pottery they had - the more elaborate, the better - also determined rank. And those with higher status lived closer to the water. "Some things never change," he said.
In 1979, stone retaining walls were built around the mound to stop further erosion and deter removal of arrowheads, ceramic pottery fragments and bones. Anyone who finds an artifact should report it to park officials.
Uploaded
June 14th, 2010
Statistics
Viewed 170 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/19/2024 at 1:35 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet