Miami Circle
Encyclopedia
The Miami Circle, also known as The Miami River Circle, Brickell Point, or The Miami Circle at Brickell Point Site, is an archaeological site
in Downtown
Miami, Florida
. It consists of a perfect circle measuring 38 feet (11.5m) of 600 postmolds that contain 24 holes or basins cut into the limestone bedrock
, on a coastal spit of land, surrounded by a large number of other 'minor' holes. It is the only known evidence of a prehistoric permanent structure cut into the bedrock in the United States
, and considerably predates other known permanent settlements on the East Coast. It is believed to have been the location of a structure, built by the Tequesta
(also Tekesta) Indians, in what was possibly their capital. Discovered in 1998, the site is believed to be somewhere between 1700 and 2000 years old. Some scholars have questioned both its age and its authenticity.
The Historical Museum of Southern Florida
signed a 44-year lease of the site in March 2008, with plans to offer tours beginning in Spring 2009.
On February 5, 2002, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
on January 16, 2009.
, co-founder of Miami in the 1870s, held an apartment complex until 1998. Property developer Michael Baumann purchased the site for $8.5 million to build a luxury condominium, and in July 1998 tore down the standing apartment complex. According to City of Miami historic preservation code requirements, he was obliged to commission a routine archaeological field survey
of the site prior to commencement of building, however it wasn't until Bob Carr, then Director of the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Division, pressed the issue with the City and Baumann did a survey of the site occur. John Ricisak of the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Division, along with a host of volunteers and employees of the Archaeological & Historical Conservancy, conducted the salvage excavation of the site with oversight by Bob Carr. This is an instance of archaeology continuing to have sway over modern construction.
In the course of the exploration, the team discovered a number of holes cut into the Oolitic limestone
bedrock. On examining the layout of the holes, the surveyor Ted Riggs postulated that they were part of a circle 38 feet (11.6 m) in diameter. Having calculated the center, he projected the likely location of the remaining holes. Excavation revealed that there were 24 holes forming a perfect circle in the limestone. Examination of the earth revealed numerous archeological artifacts
, ranging from shell-tools and stone axe-heads to human teeth and charcoal from fires.
supported. But public opposition grew, with groups ranging from archaeologists and Native Americans to New Age
rs and schoolchildren protesting that the removal could potentially destroy one of the most archaeologically significant finds in North America. The Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation made a donation of $25,000 to fund further exploration of the site, which continued until February 1999.
Following issuance of building permits by the City of Miami during the last week of January 1999, the Dade Heritage Trust (Miami-Dade County’s largest historic preservation organization) filed a lawsuit on January 31, 1999, seeking an injunction against further construction on site. Trust pro-bono attorney Gary Held, who filed the suit, arranged for an emergency hearing at the home of Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson. The basis for the lawsuit was that the developer had not obtained required approval in the form of a certificate of appropriateness from the City’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. At the hearing, the developer and the City were represented by counsel. Following arguments and the Trust’s admission that it was not prepared to post a bond to support the injunction request, the Judge denied the motion for temporary injunction. But, Baumann agreed to postpone construction on the site for thirty days while the archeologists finished their work.
Meanwhile, a plan to move the circle was proposed. Joshua Billig, stonemason of Rockers Stone and Supply, was to carry out the relocation. He quit on February 14, 1999, having become convinced the circle should not be moved. Using the 30-day delay in construction which Baumann agreed to, County Mayor for Miami-Dade Alex Penelas
and others interested in saving the Circle, asked the County Commission to file a lawsuit to take ownership of the property. The Commission approved such action on 18 February, and Judge Richard Feder ordered a temporary injunction against building on the site. Baumann agreed to sell, but asked for $50 million, a price which he eventually lowered to $26.7 million. Baumann made a profit of 18.2 million minus the costs. In an unprecedented move, the State of Florida Preservation 2000 land acquisition program purchased the site from Baumann for that sum in November 1999, using both state funds and donations from various foundations and private citizens.
The "Brickell Point Site" was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on February 5, 2002.
by John Ricisak, a specialist in the County Historic Preservation department. The results were a surprise, indicating that the wood was between 1800–2000 years old. Some scholars doubt that the circle is as old as the wood. Further evidence to support the theory that the holes were of that age comes from Tom Scott and Harvey Means of the Florida Geological Survey, who point to the buildup of a calcite
'duracrust' on the edge of the cut face. Though this is an extremely imprecise way to date the holes, it rules out that they were of modern origin.
or Mayan
civilizations. This theory was based on the fact there is little evidence of indigenous peoples
in North America building permanent structures 2000 years ago. No evidence was found of any artifacts of Central American
origin, however. Further examination of the artifacts found at the site, particularly the shell tools, shark teeth, and other items of aquatic origin, showed that they matched perfectly with artifacts known to be from a local tribe, the historic Tequesta
.
The Tequesta were a tribe who were believed to be primarily nomadic, hunting fish and alligators in the Florida Everglades
. They were considered aggressive as they killed many early European explorers who attempted landfall in Florida. The Tequesta, like many other Native Americans, succumbed to the new infectious diseases brought by European colonists, as well as were disrupted by warfare.
suggested holes were postholes for some kind of structure, probably a cone-shaped building with a hole in the top. These sorts of structures were known to have existed in the Eastern United States, yet none was thought to have had such a permanent base as the Miami Circle. Critics of this theory pointed out that there was no evidence of fire on the bedrock as is usually found in the remains of this type of buildings. Widmer's response was that, given the weather common across Florida and resulting flooding, the early people may have raised the structure on stilts. This theory also suggested that the seemingly random array of holes could have been for support posts. They appear in clusters perhaps due to the necessity to replace them as the wood rotted.
Researchers next tried to determine the purpose of the structure. Two obvious candidates are living quarters, or a ceremonial building of some sort. The lack of evidence for the former began to suggest the latter, and further evidence can be put forward to support the theory. Firstly the effort necessary to create such a structure would involve considerable teamwork, particularly given the lack of tools. This sort of teamwork is often seen in the construction of religious buildings.
Secondly, there were certain anomalies in the artifacts discovered. Many 'common' Tequesta relics were found at the site — tools and perhaps decorative items made from shells and other aquatic materials like sharks' teeth — but there were a few pieces discovered that did not fit. The main items were two basalt
axe heads. These axes would have been a particularly sought after item on the southern Florida coast due to the lack of any equivalent hard stone in the area, yet these axe heads are completely untouched. Further analysis of the stone by Dr. Jacqueline Dixon, University of Miami
, found that the basalt was likely from the region of Macon, Georgia
, some 600 miles (965.6 km) away. Additional items that may have been placed in, or buried under the structure were a complete 5 feet (1.5 m) long shark skeleton, aligned east to west, a dolphin skull, and a complete carapace of a sea-turtle. Four human teeth were also found, though no other evidence pointed to its being a burial site.
archaeologist Jerald Milanich was concerned that there was, from the previous apartment block, a septic tank that was aligned perfectly at the edge of the circle. He suggested that the circle could be nothing more than a sink for the sewage from the septic tank, an idea that understandably drew a certain amount of interest.
In attempting to refute this claim, Ricicek pointed to two things. Firstly there was clearly a terracotta outflow from the tank that would not tie with the need for a sink, and the plans for the apartment complex clearly show a sewage outflow to the south, into the river. Secondly, returning to the analysis of the calcite buildup on the holes by the Florida Geological Survey, the bedrock that had been cut out to lay the tank had little or no duracrust, showing the considerable age difference between the septic tank construction and the Circle.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
in Downtown
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. It consists of a perfect circle measuring 38 feet (11.5m) of 600 postmolds that contain 24 holes or basins cut into the limestone bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
, on a coastal spit of land, surrounded by a large number of other 'minor' holes. It is the only known evidence of a prehistoric permanent structure cut into the bedrock in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and considerably predates other known permanent settlements on the East Coast. It is believed to have been the location of a structure, built by the Tequesta
Tequesta
The Tequesta Native American tribe, at the time of first European contact, occupied an area along the southeastern Atlantic coast of Florida...
(also Tekesta) Indians, in what was possibly their capital. Discovered in 1998, the site is believed to be somewhere between 1700 and 2000 years old. Some scholars have questioned both its age and its authenticity.
The Historical Museum of Southern Florida
Historical Museum of Southern Florida
HistoryMiami formerly known as the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, is a museum located in Miami, Florida, USA, specializing in the history of southeastern Florida, including Greater Miami, the Floria Keys, and the Everglades...
signed a 44-year lease of the site in March 2008, with plans to offer tours beginning in Spring 2009.
On February 5, 2002, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on January 16, 2009.
Discovery
The site of 401 Brickell Avenue, named for the William BrickellWilliam Brickell
William Brickell joined Julia Tuttle as a co-founder of Miami, Florida.Brickell and his wife Mary moved to southern Florida from Cleveland, Ohio in 1871...
, co-founder of Miami in the 1870s, held an apartment complex until 1998. Property developer Michael Baumann purchased the site for $8.5 million to build a luxury condominium, and in July 1998 tore down the standing apartment complex. According to City of Miami historic preservation code requirements, he was obliged to commission a routine archaeological field survey
Archaeological field survey
Archaeological field survey is the method by which archaeologists search for archaeological sites and collect information about the location, distribution and organization of past human cultures across a large area...
of the site prior to commencement of building, however it wasn't until Bob Carr, then Director of the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Division, pressed the issue with the City and Baumann did a survey of the site occur. John Ricisak of the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Division, along with a host of volunteers and employees of the Archaeological & Historical Conservancy, conducted the salvage excavation of the site with oversight by Bob Carr. This is an instance of archaeology continuing to have sway over modern construction.
In the course of the exploration, the team discovered a number of holes cut into the Oolitic limestone
Oolite
Oolite is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Hellenic word òoion for egg. Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 mm; rocks composed of ooids larger than 2 mm are called pisolites...
bedrock. On examining the layout of the holes, the surveyor Ted Riggs postulated that they were part of a circle 38 feet (11.6 m) in diameter. Having calculated the center, he projected the likely location of the remaining holes. Excavation revealed that there were 24 holes forming a perfect circle in the limestone. Examination of the earth revealed numerous archeological artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
, ranging from shell-tools and stone axe-heads to human teeth and charcoal from fires.
Controversy and resolution
The developer Baumann, keen to continue construction of his condominium, offered to pay to relocate the circle to another site for preservation, an idea that Mayor Joe CarolloJoe Carollo
Joe Carollo is a former mayor of Miami, Florida. Defeated in a run-off by former mayor Xavier Suarez, his campaign filed a successful legal change based on voter fraud, become mayor in 1998 until 2001. Born in Caibarién, Cuba in 1955, Carollo moved to Miami when he was fifteen years old, having...
supported. But public opposition grew, with groups ranging from archaeologists and Native Americans to New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
rs and schoolchildren protesting that the removal could potentially destroy one of the most archaeologically significant finds in North America. The Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation made a donation of $25,000 to fund further exploration of the site, which continued until February 1999.
Following issuance of building permits by the City of Miami during the last week of January 1999, the Dade Heritage Trust (Miami-Dade County’s largest historic preservation organization) filed a lawsuit on January 31, 1999, seeking an injunction against further construction on site. Trust pro-bono attorney Gary Held, who filed the suit, arranged for an emergency hearing at the home of Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson. The basis for the lawsuit was that the developer had not obtained required approval in the form of a certificate of appropriateness from the City’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. At the hearing, the developer and the City were represented by counsel. Following arguments and the Trust’s admission that it was not prepared to post a bond to support the injunction request, the Judge denied the motion for temporary injunction. But, Baumann agreed to postpone construction on the site for thirty days while the archeologists finished their work.
Meanwhile, a plan to move the circle was proposed. Joshua Billig, stonemason of Rockers Stone and Supply, was to carry out the relocation. He quit on February 14, 1999, having become convinced the circle should not be moved. Using the 30-day delay in construction which Baumann agreed to, County Mayor for Miami-Dade Alex Penelas
Alex Penelas
Alexander "Alex" Penelas is the former mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida.-Schooling and personal life:Penelas, an American of Cuban descent, attended college at St. Thomas University...
and others interested in saving the Circle, asked the County Commission to file a lawsuit to take ownership of the property. The Commission approved such action on 18 February, and Judge Richard Feder ordered a temporary injunction against building on the site. Baumann agreed to sell, but asked for $50 million, a price which he eventually lowered to $26.7 million. Baumann made a profit of 18.2 million minus the costs. In an unprecedented move, the State of Florida Preservation 2000 land acquisition program purchased the site from Baumann for that sum in November 1999, using both state funds and donations from various foundations and private citizens.
The "Brickell Point Site" was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on February 5, 2002.
Archaeology
Artifacts recovered from the Miami Circle site are stored and on display at HistoryMiami. It is the official repository for all archaeological materials recovered in Miami-Dade County.Age
In order to date the site, pieces of burnt wood were sent in March 1999 for radiocarbon datingRadiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
by John Ricisak, a specialist in the County Historic Preservation department. The results were a surprise, indicating that the wood was between 1800–2000 years old. Some scholars doubt that the circle is as old as the wood. Further evidence to support the theory that the holes were of that age comes from Tom Scott and Harvey Means of the Florida Geological Survey, who point to the buildup of a calcite
Calcite
Calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate . The other polymorphs are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Aragonite will change to calcite at 380-470°C, and vaterite is even less stable.-Properties:...
'duracrust' on the edge of the cut face. Though this is an extremely imprecise way to date the holes, it rules out that they were of modern origin.
Origin
Initial theories on the origin of the site were that it was created by the OlmecOlmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
or Mayan
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
civilizations. This theory was based on the fact there is little evidence of indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
in North America building permanent structures 2000 years ago. No evidence was found of any artifacts of Central American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
origin, however. Further examination of the artifacts found at the site, particularly the shell tools, shark teeth, and other items of aquatic origin, showed that they matched perfectly with artifacts known to be from a local tribe, the historic Tequesta
Tequesta
The Tequesta Native American tribe, at the time of first European contact, occupied an area along the southeastern Atlantic coast of Florida...
.
The Tequesta were a tribe who were believed to be primarily nomadic, hunting fish and alligators in the Florida Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
. They were considered aggressive as they killed many early European explorers who attempted landfall in Florida. The Tequesta, like many other Native Americans, succumbed to the new infectious diseases brought by European colonists, as well as were disrupted by warfare.
Purpose
Randolph Widmer of the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
suggested holes were postholes for some kind of structure, probably a cone-shaped building with a hole in the top. These sorts of structures were known to have existed in the Eastern United States, yet none was thought to have had such a permanent base as the Miami Circle. Critics of this theory pointed out that there was no evidence of fire on the bedrock as is usually found in the remains of this type of buildings. Widmer's response was that, given the weather common across Florida and resulting flooding, the early people may have raised the structure on stilts. This theory also suggested that the seemingly random array of holes could have been for support posts. They appear in clusters perhaps due to the necessity to replace them as the wood rotted.
Researchers next tried to determine the purpose of the structure. Two obvious candidates are living quarters, or a ceremonial building of some sort. The lack of evidence for the former began to suggest the latter, and further evidence can be put forward to support the theory. Firstly the effort necessary to create such a structure would involve considerable teamwork, particularly given the lack of tools. This sort of teamwork is often seen in the construction of religious buildings.
Secondly, there were certain anomalies in the artifacts discovered. Many 'common' Tequesta relics were found at the site — tools and perhaps decorative items made from shells and other aquatic materials like sharks' teeth — but there were a few pieces discovered that did not fit. The main items were two basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
axe heads. These axes would have been a particularly sought after item on the southern Florida coast due to the lack of any equivalent hard stone in the area, yet these axe heads are completely untouched. Further analysis of the stone by Dr. Jacqueline Dixon, University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, found that the basalt was likely from the region of Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, some 600 miles (965.6 km) away. Additional items that may have been placed in, or buried under the structure were a complete 5 feet (1.5 m) long shark skeleton, aligned east to west, a dolphin skull, and a complete carapace of a sea-turtle. Four human teeth were also found, though no other evidence pointed to its being a burial site.
Septic tank controversy
University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
archaeologist Jerald Milanich was concerned that there was, from the previous apartment block, a septic tank that was aligned perfectly at the edge of the circle. He suggested that the circle could be nothing more than a sink for the sewage from the septic tank, an idea that understandably drew a certain amount of interest.
In attempting to refute this claim, Ricicek pointed to two things. Firstly there was clearly a terracotta outflow from the tank that would not tie with the need for a sink, and the plans for the apartment complex clearly show a sewage outflow to the south, into the river. Secondly, returning to the analysis of the calcite buildup on the holes by the Florida Geological Survey, the bedrock that had been cut out to lay the tank had little or no duracrust, showing the considerable age difference between the septic tank construction and the Circle.