Jessi Halligan
Florida State University, Anthropology, Faculty Member
- Geology, Anthropology, Geography, Quaternary Geology, Sea Level, Sedimentology, and 26 moreArchaeology, Nautical Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, Environmental Archaeology, Archaeological Soil Micromorphology, Stratigraphy, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Great Lakes Archaeology, Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology, GIS modeling, Remote Sensing, Archaeological Method & Theory, Paleoindians, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Maritime History, Northeastern North America (Archaeology), North American archaeology, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Clovis, Paleoindian archaeology, Southeastern Archaeology (Archaeology in North America), Lithic Technology, The peopling of the Americas, and Submerged landscapes and settlementsedit
Stone tools and mastodon bones occur in an undisturbed geological context at the Page-Ladson site, Florida. Seventy-one radiocarbon ages show that ~14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr B.P.), people butchered or scavenged a mastodon next to... more
Stone tools and mastodon bones occur in an undisturbed geological context at the Page-Ladson site, Florida. Seventy-one radiocarbon ages show that ~14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr B.P.), people butchered or scavenged a mastodon next to a pond in a bedrock sinkhole within the Aucilla River. This occupation surface was buried by ~4 m of sediment during the late Pleistocene marine transgression, which also left the site submerged. Sporormiella and other proxy evidence from the sediments indicate that hunter-gatherers along the Gulf Coastal Plain coexisted with and utilized megafauna for ~2000 years before these animals became extinct at ~12,600 cal yr B.P. Page-Ladson expands our understanding of the earliest colonizers of the Americas and human-megafauna interaction before extinction.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Geography, Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, Science, and 13 morePopulation Dynamics, Indian ancient history, Ancient Greek History, Medicine, Underwater Archaeology, Submerged landscapes and settlements, Humans, Fossils, Animals, Florida, Radiometric Dating, Paleoindian archaeology, and Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology
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Keratin is scarcely found in the archaeological record and is typically only preserved if conditions are conducive to the preservation of other organic materials. However, the rate of decomposition of keratinous materials, such as horn... more
Keratin is scarcely found in the archaeological record and is typically only preserved if conditions are conducive to the preservation of other organic materials. However, the rate of decomposition of keratinous materials, such as horn sheaths and hooves, is unknown. This study measures the rates of keratin decay and scavenging by animals of bison hooves over a two-year period in two environments: one at low elevation with warm temperatures and high humidity levels and the other at high elevation with generally cooler temperatures and low humidity levels. We find that keratin decays at a faster rate in humid environments, and a keratinous ecofact such as a hoof should be expected to decay, if exposed to the elements, within 5 years in warm, humid, low elevation environments. In cool, low humidity high elevation environments, we find that keratinous ecofacts should be expected to decay within 20 years. These decomposition rates allow us to put constraints on conditions of keratin preservation in the archaeological record.
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The karstic Aucilla River of Northwest Florida is renowned for its well‐preserved late Pleistocene cultural material and Rancholabrean fauna. Much of this material was recovered by avocational SCUBA divers from displaced contexts in... more
The karstic Aucilla River of Northwest Florida is renowned for its well‐preserved late Pleistocene cultural material and Rancholabrean fauna. Much of this material was recovered by avocational SCUBA divers from displaced contexts in mid‐channel sinkholes, but underwater excavations into sediment banks on sink margins have demonstrated that faunal material and early artifacts can be recovered in situ from inundated terrestrial strata that contain dateable organics and microfossils useful
for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Underwater environmental data document the transition of Aucilla River localities from isolated spring‐fed ponds into an interconnected fluvial system due to rising sea levels and climate amelioration with several major periods of sinkhole infilling during the late Quaternary. Late Pleistocene components on land are largely absent or are undateable; these components, located in a subtropical cypress swamp in shallow clay‐rich soils, tend to be less well‐preserved, but still contain a rich record of human use on the landscape.
for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Underwater environmental data document the transition of Aucilla River localities from isolated spring‐fed ponds into an interconnected fluvial system due to rising sea levels and climate amelioration with several major periods of sinkhole infilling during the late Quaternary. Late Pleistocene components on land are largely absent or are undateable; these components, located in a subtropical cypress swamp in shallow clay‐rich soils, tend to be less well‐preserved, but still contain a rich record of human use on the landscape.
Over the past decade, research in the Aucilla River of northwestern Florida, USA, has focused upon understanding the geoarchaeological context of numerous formerly-terrestrial, now-inundated sinkhole spring sites and the landscapes... more
Over the past decade, research in the Aucilla River of northwestern
Florida, USA, has focused upon understanding the geoarchaeological
context of numerous formerly-terrestrial, now-inundated sinkhole
spring sites and the landscapes surrounding them. Dozens of terminal
Pleistocene and early Holocene-aged diagnostic artifacts have
been recovered from this river, some in association with drowned
terrestrial soils and intact dateable stratigraphy. Currently-terrestrial
sites have thus far proven nearly undateable and are often conflated
and deflated, but they provide evidence of extensive and resilient
lifeways along the Aucilla River basin over thousands of years. The
wealth of paleoenvironmental proxy data recovered from the
drowned landscapes can help to explicate where, why, and how
some sites have preserved while others have not. These data further
suggest how people were adjusting to their changing environments
over the more than 14,000 years they have been occupying the
Aucilla River basin. This paper details the methods utilized to work
on both sides of the waterline to reach a more holistic understanding
of geoarchaeological context and human societies in the Aucilla
River basin.
Florida, USA, has focused upon understanding the geoarchaeological
context of numerous formerly-terrestrial, now-inundated sinkhole
spring sites and the landscapes surrounding them. Dozens of terminal
Pleistocene and early Holocene-aged diagnostic artifacts have
been recovered from this river, some in association with drowned
terrestrial soils and intact dateable stratigraphy. Currently-terrestrial
sites have thus far proven nearly undateable and are often conflated
and deflated, but they provide evidence of extensive and resilient
lifeways along the Aucilla River basin over thousands of years. The
wealth of paleoenvironmental proxy data recovered from the
drowned landscapes can help to explicate where, why, and how
some sites have preserved while others have not. These data further
suggest how people were adjusting to their changing environments
over the more than 14,000 years they have been occupying the
Aucilla River basin. This paper details the methods utilized to work
on both sides of the waterline to reach a more holistic understanding
of geoarchaeological context and human societies in the Aucilla
River basin.
Stone tools and mastodon bones occur in an undisturbed geological context at the Page-Ladson site, Florida. Seventy-one radiocarbon ages show that~14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr B.P.), people butchered or scavenged a mastodon next to a... more
Stone tools and mastodon bones occur in an undisturbed geological context at the Page-Ladson site, Florida. Seventy-one radiocarbon ages show that~14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr B.P.), people butchered or scavenged a mastodon next to a pond in a bedrock sinkhole within the Aucilla River. This occupation surface was buried by~4 m of sediment during the late Pleistocene marine transgression, which also left the site submerged. Sporormiella and other proxy evidence from the sediments indicate that hunter-gatherers along the Gulf Coastal Plain coexisted with and utilized megafauna for~2000 years before these animals became extinct at~12,600 cal yr B.P. Page-Ladson expands our understanding of the earliest colonizers of the Americas and human-megafauna interaction before extinction.
The Page-Ladson site, currently buried and submerged in a sinkhole in northwestern Florida, demonstrates evidence of human occupation in North America by 14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr BP). This paper combines new diatom evidence with... more
The Page-Ladson site, currently buried and submerged in a sinkhole in northwestern Florida, demonstrates evidence of human occupation in North America by 14,550 calendar years ago (cal yr BP). This paper combines new diatom evidence with existing palynological data to strengthen paleoenvironmental interpretations at the site. The Page-Ladson sinkhole was not entirely submerged between ∼15,100 and 14,400 cal yr BP. Conditions at the site became warmer and wetter, and the sinkhole became a turbid pond from ∼14,400 to 12,900 cal yr BP. From ∼12,900 cal yr BP until ∼11,000 cal yr BP, a disappearance of diatoms in the coring location suggests the sinkhole margin was dry. Water levels rose between 11,000 and 9000 cal yr BP, submerging the coring location on the pond margin. These environmental data help contextualize the archaeological data in the region.
The Buttermilk Creek Complex and the Origins of Clovis at the Debra This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. clicking here. colleagues, clients, or customers by , you can order high-quality copies for your If you wish to... more
The Buttermilk Creek Complex and the Origins of Clovis at the Debra This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. clicking here. colleagues, clients, or customers by , you can order high-quality copies for your If you wish to distribute this article to others here. following the guidelines can be obtained by Permission to republish or repurpose articles or portions of articles
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Geoarchaeological Investigations into Paleoindian Adaptations on the Aucilla River, Northwest Florida. (May 2012) Jessi Jean Halligan, A.B., Harvard University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Michael R. Waters This dissertation addresses... more
Geoarchaeological Investigations into Paleoindian Adaptations on the Aucilla River, Northwest Florida. (May 2012) Jessi Jean Halligan, A.B., Harvard University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Michael R. Waters This dissertation addresses how Paleoindians used the karst drainage of the Aucilla River in northwestern Florida during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (approximately 15-10,000 C yr B.P.). I take a geoarchaeological approach to discuss Paleoindian land use by first defining the Late Pleistocene and Holocene geological record, and then by creating a model of site formation processes in the Aucilla River. Both underwater and terrestrial fieldwork were performed. Underwater fieldwork consisted of hand-driven cores and surface survey, vibrocoring, underwater 1 x 1 m unit excavation, and controlled surface collection. Terrestrial fieldwork consisted of shovel and auger test pits. Seventeen cores were collected from five different submerged sinkhole sites, which were used to s...
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Plainview: The Enigmatic Paleoindian Artifact Style of the Great Plains. VANCE T. HOLLIDAY, EILEEN JOHNSON, and RUTHANN KNUDSON (editors), 2017. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City. vii + 343 pp.; 171 black-and-white photographs, drawings, and maps; 63 tables. $70.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-...more
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Research Interests: Archaeology and Antiquity
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Maritime archaeology is an evolving field whose main focus is understanding and interpreting the past relationship between humans and the rivers, lakes, and oceans that have surrounded us throughout our history. Originating in the... more
Maritime archaeology is an evolving field whose main focus is understanding and interpreting the past relationship between humans and the rivers, lakes, and oceans that have surrounded us throughout our history. Originating in the mid-20th century as the study of individual submerged archaeological sites striving to establish itself within the broader discipline of archaeology, it is now a vibrant and ever-expanding field, exploring not only an expanded range of individual sites—whether they be shipwrecks, aircraft wrecks, or harbor installations—but also submerged or maritime cultural landscapes, along with the broader societies and contexts surrounding these sites. Concurrently, advances in methodology and the use of technologies have increased the accuracy and breadth of data that may be recovered. Deep-water archaeology has emerged as a result of technological developments in recent years, complemented by impressive excavations of nautical or maritime sites on land. The science of conserving and analyzing artifacts, integral to the research and preservation of maritime cultural resources, continues to contribute new avenues supporting their interpretation and stabilization. The field is also expanding geographically and thematically, as international standards and practices develop, and as additional nations strive to preserve and research their maritime cultural heritage. Finding itself dedicated to the study of cultural resources that were originally meant to transcend cultural, political, and geographical boundaries, and that are now often located in areas outside the concrete management authority of state institutions or the view of the public, maritime archaeology presents an exceptional case study for questions that touch human culture at large: Who does it belong to? Who has access to it? How is preservation balanced with progress and development? This overview attempts to provide the reader with a variety of entry points into this fascinating and diverse field, according to one’s interests and perspective. The reader should note, however, that whereas the archaeological study of maritime heritage is a global endeavor conducted in all portions of the world, the field’s most influential works in the English language reflect traditional prejudices and biases in research, publication, and resourcing, and do not yet permit a uniform treatment of all regions and subject matter. In an attempt to counterbalance these limitations, the authors recommend that readers turn to several of the journal and proceedings publications in the section on Journals and Conference Proceedings Series for the broadest and most current coverage of the field.
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This dissertation addresses how Paleoindians used the karst drainage of the Aucilla River in northwestern Florida during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (approximately 15-10,000 14C yr B.P.). I take a geoarchaeological approach to... more
This dissertation addresses how Paleoindians used the karst drainage of the Aucilla River in northwestern Florida during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition (approximately 15-10,000 14C yr B.P.). I take a geoarchaeological approach to discuss Paleoindian land use by first defining the Late Pleistocene and Holocene geological record, and then by creating a model of site formation processes in the Aucilla River. Both underwater and terrestrial fieldwork were performed. Underwater fieldwork consisted of hand-driven cores and surface survey, vibrocoring, underwater 1 x 1 m unit excavation, and controlled surface collection. Terrestrial fieldwork consisted of shovel and auger test pits. Seventeen cores were collected from five different submerged sinkhole sites, which were used to select two sites for further study: Sloth Hole
(8JE121), which had been previously excavated, and Wayne's Sink (8JE1508/TA280), which was recorded but not formally investigated. Five vibrocores and two 1 x 1m units were used, with previous research, to define the geological and geoarchaeological context of Sloth Hole. Fifteen vibrocores, six 1 x 1 m excavation units, and ten 1 x 1 m surface collection units were used to define the geological, geoarchaeological, and archaeological context of Wayne's Sink. A combination of 130 shovel and auger test pits was used to define the geological, geoarchaeological, and archaeological potential of the terrestrial landscape. Five new Holocene-aged terrestrial sites were recorded. All of these data were evaluated with archival data from previously-excavated sites to create models of site formation and Paleoindian land use in the lower Aucilla
Basin. This research shows that there have been four major periods of sinkhole infill in the lower Aucilla basin. The first occurred prior to the Last Glacial Maximum, with each
sinkhole containing peat deposits that date in excess of 21,000 calendar years ago (cal B.P.). These peats are overlain by sandy colluvium that dates to approximately 14,500 cal B.P. The colluvium is overlain by clays that contain evidence for soil formation. These soils vary in age, with radiocarbon dates of approximately 14,500-10,000 cal B.P. These clays are directly overlain by peats dating to 5,000-3,500 cal B.P., which are
overlain by peats and clays that date to 2,500-0 cal B.P. Intact Paleoindian and Early Archaic deposits are possible in the late Pleistocene soils.
(8JE121), which had been previously excavated, and Wayne's Sink (8JE1508/TA280), which was recorded but not formally investigated. Five vibrocores and two 1 x 1m units were used, with previous research, to define the geological and geoarchaeological context of Sloth Hole. Fifteen vibrocores, six 1 x 1 m excavation units, and ten 1 x 1 m surface collection units were used to define the geological, geoarchaeological, and archaeological context of Wayne's Sink. A combination of 130 shovel and auger test pits was used to define the geological, geoarchaeological, and archaeological potential of the terrestrial landscape. Five new Holocene-aged terrestrial sites were recorded. All of these data were evaluated with archival data from previously-excavated sites to create models of site formation and Paleoindian land use in the lower Aucilla
Basin. This research shows that there have been four major periods of sinkhole infill in the lower Aucilla basin. The first occurred prior to the Last Glacial Maximum, with each
sinkhole containing peat deposits that date in excess of 21,000 calendar years ago (cal B.P.). These peats are overlain by sandy colluvium that dates to approximately 14,500 cal B.P. The colluvium is overlain by clays that contain evidence for soil formation. These soils vary in age, with radiocarbon dates of approximately 14,500-10,000 cal B.P. These clays are directly overlain by peats dating to 5,000-3,500 cal B.P., which are
overlain by peats and clays that date to 2,500-0 cal B.P. Intact Paleoindian and Early Archaic deposits are possible in the late Pleistocene soils.