Projects
Miami Circle - Learn More - Archaeological Projects, Investigation 2
When the State of Florida agreed to participate in the preservation of the Miami Circle the Division of Historical Resources was directed to investigate the historical significance of the property. The State of Florida study at Brickell Point focused on the entire 2.2-acre parcel and a search for clues about the origin of the Miami Circle.
A small field crew worked in October and November 1999, excavating, making profile drawings of open trenches, taking auger samples and making detailed maps of the limestone surface and midden deposits. Another septic tank, like the one found near the Miami Circle, was examined to demonstrate that modern disturbances often intruded on areas with intact archaeological deposits. An area with a high concentration of cut hole and basin features was found and dubbed the “Valley of Holes.”
This study, followed closely by the media, closely duplicated the discoveries made by the excavation of the Miami Circle and concluded that the cut holes, basins and artifacts found on the property were the result of ancient occupation—likely the ancestors of the Tequesta Indians.