Larkin Mound
Crystal River Larkin Mound
Middle Woodland Weeden Island 200–600 CE·Weeden Island / Gulf Hopewell·🇺🇸 Florida, Citrus County, United States
About
About Larkin Mound
Deptford–Weeden Island burial mound 6 m high attached to Crystal River complex but distinct 1.2 km north, shell midden with St Johns ceramics, copper ear spools, crystal quartz, negative-painted pottery. Secondary elite burial mound with shaft-and-chamber tomb, Hopewellian trappings further south than any Hopewell core, evidences Gulf Coast exchange loop to Copena. Unexcavated core protected; looted 1920s but intact chamber inferred by GPR.
Why it mattersSouthernmost confirmed Gulf Hopewell mound with exotic copper, proving coastal Hopewell down to Florida.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why satellite to Crystal River rather than single center
- 02Source of crystal quartz — Appalachian vs imported
Theories
- 01Dual elite cemetery mirroring Mann site satellite
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.200–600 CE
- Period
- Middle Woodland Weeden Island 200–600 CE
- Culture
- Weeden Island / Gulf Hopewell
- Builders
- Weeden Island
- Purpose
- Elite burial mound and coastal exchange locus
- Abandoned
- c.800 CE
- Rediscovered
- 1896 Moore; Florida Bureau 1960s
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
200 CE
Mound initial platform
1896
C. B. Moore tests mound, reports copper
On the ground
Structures & features
28.9025° N · 82.5969° W · 10 m · 2 mapped features
Larkin Mound Summit
mound6 m high burial mound with slab cist
28.9027° N · 82.5967° WAssociated Shell Midden
middenDark midden with St Johns sherds and copper workshop
28.9020° N · 82.5972° W
Gallery