Archaeological investigations at the Gumbo Limbo site (8PB5375), Palm Beach County, Florida

Between January and August 2002, the Department of Anthropology conducted an archaeological investigation of site 8PB5375, located on a barrier island in southeastern Palm Beach County, Florida. Testing revealed that the site contains three occupational components that all date to the Glades I early period (2450 to 1450 B.P.). The components consists of (1) three midden areas, each consisting of numerous kitchen middens and an open, public space; (2) a sand/shell midden containing dense bone and ash; and (3) a small shell midden with an associated cooking pit. These components are interpreted to represent several temporary habitation campsites, a seasonal extractive camp, and a short-term campsite, respectively. The occupations retain Archaic influences yet follow Glades developmental trends of increasing pottery usage, reliance on fishing, and coastal occupation. The study provides basic information on precolumbian subsistence and settlement patterns in Palm Beach County, an area that has received little archaeological attention.