The “Law School” Mound - "Gainesville, Florida"
Law School Mound site signage “Gainesville Florida” in close proximity to “Law School”.
Traveling throughout the Land of Flowers so often over the decades and guiding our journeys through glorious landscapes and waterways, we appreciate our Aboriginal, Indigenous Legacy on a profound level. Time—in the conventional sense—does not and cannot encapsulate our heritage as the sun, moon, and stars better describe the birth, rise, and replenishing breath of First Nation People. The wisdom of erecting magnificent monuments about the land, in alignment with divine celestial bodies above, offers insight into the longevity of parental people.
From this truthful foundation, we used many historical resources available in the “Gainesville” area that include the “Florida Museum of Natural History” and libraries at the “University of Florida (UF)”. While doing research in preparation for other journeys around North Central “Florida”, we discovered that an ancient mound site exists near the “Law School” located at the “UF”. We have gone there on numerous occasions and this news was interesting.
Initially, we saw a few articles stating that the so-named “Law School” or “Campus” Mound was built by ancestors of the “Potano” People (who were also often referred to as “Timucuans”). It is said that they probably established a village along the shoreline of a lake located on the “campus”, which was evidenced by significant archaeological recoveries made at the “site” in 1976. And, as we already know from many years of research, Indigenous locations are typically placed in close proximity to water sources.
Some historians claim that the people inhabiting the land surrounding present-day “Gainesville” spoke one of many dialects of the Timucuan language, which is Arawak based. According to so called linguistics experts, the “language, culture, and people were intrusive to Florida” and some thought the language was a “slow and gradual hybridization of the indigenous non-Timucuan peoples.” Researchers explain that this region may have been resettled by “Creek” people from Oconee, “Georgia” (a town located along the Oconee River). Eventually, this “creolized” language was being spoken from Okefenokee Swamp in “Georgia” all the way to “Daytona Beach” on the Atlantic Coast.
Bird flying over Atlantic Coast, hours before sunset with a full moon shortly to arrive. The full Corn Moon shines through clouds and reflects vibrantly on the ocean waters.
Archaeological and ethnological records reflect that the Timucuan language was predominant in the nearby prairie regions as well. It is proclaimed that an Oconee village “site” existed in the vicinity of the present-day town of “Micanopy” (located just a few miles from “Gainesville”). This language is said to have been prevalent as far west as the Aucilla River and throughout Central “Florida”. Apparently, waterways share an important role in uniting people. It is important to realize that Aboriginal People traveled freely on their Land as it is their Bloodright.
The Aucilla River west of the “Florida Panhandle” is reported to contain some of the oldest artifacts in North America and the world. Aboriginal American remains, tools, crafts and boats were uncovered here to include one of the oldest canoes ever located.
Some “Timucuans” reportedly moved to Cuba, settling the present-day town of Ceiba Mocha. Also, historical records from 1763 document that many ‘emigrants’ from “St. Augustine” (“Florida”) relocated to Cuba and established a town named “Nueva Florida de Ceiba Mocha”. Researchers declare that Ceiba Mocha was founded in 1764 by Canary Islanders (along with others) who blended with the locals.
We learned later that the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands were Guanches, who were Berbers or Imazighens (a.k.a., Amazigh, “the Free People” (an Indigenous name of the Berbers). They are described as ‘a large, ancient group of North African people inhabiting Mediterranean areas from “Egypt” to the Canary Islands, including regions south of the Sahara.’ We are inspired by the intertwining ancestral trails that link Indigenous people to many lands around the world.
Now—however…our focus must return to finding more information about the people who built the mound and village where the “UF campus” sits.
Every Journey of Appreciation involves much research
As stated earlier, we begin each journey by rolling up our sleeves and sifting through scores of media resources; visiting libraries and museums; trekking through natural “parks” and preserves, locating waterway connections, and conversing with many interesting people along the way. Although some research efforts can (at times) be challenging, we embrace the reward of being able to share the results with you.
Archaeologists proclaim that Indigenous People lived in North Central “Florida” thousands of years ago. Reportedly, the first inhabitants were ancestors of people from various so-named cultures and time spans, like: “Archaic” (pre-500 BC); “Deptford” (500 BC – AD 200); “Cades Pond” (AD 200 – 800); and “Alachua” or “Hickory Pond” period (AD 800 to early 18th Century). Also, around this timeline, the so-named “Creek Confederacy” (a large, organized and powerful Muskogee Nation who inhabited vast lands of the southeast) traveled southward from “Georgia” and Alabama and established many village towns in this area. Later on, these so-called “Creeks” became known as “Seminoles” and moved further south into central Territories.
Image of Indigenous artifacts we observed from collections at the Micanopy museum.
Image of museum located in Micanopy which contains Indigenous artifacts and artwork
A brief outline (the popular version) of the above early habitations is described as follows:
—“Archaic” people moved seasonally between habitats to avail themselves of abundant resources, as evidenced by numerous present-day sites (on high bluffs and near waterways) that contain abundant stone, chert chips and tools, especially projectile points and knives.
—“Deptford” people were said to live most of the year along lagoons and salt marshes of the Gulf Coast. They came inland to quarry chert from outcroppings (bedrock protrusions through the soil).
—“Cades Pond” people lived in villages near extensive wetlands, where many “sites are evidenced around Orange Lake, Lake Lochloosa, Lake Pithlachocco (some call “Newnans” Lake), and Paynes Prairie, which must have been a lake at the time.
—“Alachua” people represented a migration of the “Creek” population from the river valleys in southern “Georgia”. They depended on extensive horticultural skills to farm the rich soils of the north Territory and established villages next to freshwater resources on elevated, well-drained ground. Many Alachua locations are also evident in areas around Orange Lake and the north side of Paynes Prairie.
Scene of Paynes Prairie mid-winter 2020, just before rain. As lightning flashed and thunder reverberated throughout the area, it sounded much different than we ever observed in the Territory. The sound was higher and less muffled than usual and the echo extended for longer durations. We appreciated the experience and left safely.
—Archaeology reports denote that the “Campus” site was a burial mound that was probably built by the Alachua tradition people and used exclusively for interment of related females and children (matrilineal). Later, it was evidenced that matrilineal and matrilocal societies became widespread among Southeastern Aborigines. Reportedly, the “Creek” people were matrilineal, meaning that ancestry, clan identities, and familial obligations were inherited through the Mother’s family.
“Potano” Aborigines were the descendants of Alachua People and their main Chief and village had the same name. They inhabited the vast Territory that nowadays encompasses three so called “county” regions: Alachua, northern “Marion,” and part of western “Putnam.”
Furthermore, some sources state that “Alachua” is an Indigenous word meaning ‘sink’ as this likely described the land where villages were established on elevated ground near streams and sinkholes. Supposedly, around the 1600s, “Florida’s” largest herding operation took place in this prairie-like region. When so-named “Seminoles” inhabited the area, it was referred to as the “Great Alachua Savanna” by certain writers in 1774; and ‘savanna’ has been defined as “a flat treeless grassland.’
Image of Indigenous American Woman of the “Seminole” Tribe.
Then, in 1873, after heavy rains flooded the prairie basin forming Alachua Lake, steamboats are said to have operated along the shorelines until 1891. At that time, the Alachua Sink drained the lake basin and the land dried up again. Interestingly, this wet-dry cycle continues today and the area consists of vast upland and freshwater wetlands that display thousands of years of uninterrupted human habitation.
After many months of research on this Territory, we realized there is a paucity of information available on the “Law School” Mound specifically. It was at times challenging to wade through numerous and varied media resources pertaining to other archaeological and historical locations nearby--especially when they mostly speculated about the presence of Indigenous People on the land and perpetrated misconceptions about their heredity.
Thus, in moving forward, we feel compelled to add quotation marks around the made-up words that often portray imagined ownership; and we regularly insert the words “so-called, so-named, or so-labeled” in front of assigned labels referencing these illustrious People, places, and things.
Finally, we constantly remind ourselves of the importance of this journey and the remarkable mound that awaits.
Part 2 is nearly completed.
You can an request advanced PDF copy at: contact@DiamondLegacyAmerica.org