Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park
Letchworth Mounds
Woodland Weeden Island 200–800 CE·Weeden Island (Swift Creek)·🇺🇸 Florida, United States
About
About Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park
Largest Woodland period mound site in Florida: Middle to Late Woodland (200–800 CE) with principal platform mound 14 m high (46 ft) largest in Florida, covering 5000 m², built without known palisade. Surrounding 13 m conical burial mound and plaza terrace; Weeden Island culture Swift Creek-Complicated Stamped pottery effigy burial contexts with mica copper elite goods.
Why it mattersTallest Woodland earthwork in Florida demonstrating Gulf Woodland ranking and Hopewellian influences without Mississippian.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether platform mound was residence vs mortuary
- 02Weeden Island-Hopewell connection trade
Theories
- 01Gulf Woodland chiefdom ceremonial aggregation model
- 02Early platform tradition precursor to Mississippian
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.200–800 CE
- Period
- Woodland Weeden Island 200–800 CE
- Culture
- Weeden Island (Swift Creek)
- Builders
- Weeden Island culture
- Purpose
- Ceremonial mound center and burial elite necropolis
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.200–800 CE
Initial construction
c. 1501 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
30.4675° N · 84.3483° W · 35 m · 2 mapped features
Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park central feature
featureMain architectural feature
30.4675° N · 84.3483° WLetchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park secondary sector
sectorSecondary sector
30.4685° N · 84.3473° W
Gallery