Miami Circle

In August, 1998, excavations exposed an archaeological treasure consisting of a circle of holes chiseled into the limestone bedrock. Also found were pottery shards, stone axe heads, and other artifacts. The site was to be a parking garage for a $126 million high-rise luxury condo complex, Brikell Pointe, located where the Miami River joins Biscayne Bay near downtown Miami.

Although the site is not eye-catching, it turns out to be a major U.S. archaeological discovery. The site had been an apartment complex and before that the homestead and trading post of the Brikell family, early Miami settlers in the 1870s. But now it seems that site held an important building that was part of the Tekesta Indian capitol town, also called Tekesta. This was possibly evidence that North America’s first complex society may have arises well before that of the Calusa.

Internal Links:

Lost Worlds: Florida

Ancient Civilizations of Florida

External Links:

Le Moyne’s Florida IndiansĀ @ TheNewWorld.us

Miami Circle @ Florida Division of Historical Resources

Gary C. Daniels

Gary C. Daniels is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated television, video and multimedia writer and producer. He has a M.A. degree in Communications from Georgia State University in Atlanta, a B.F.A. degree in TV Production from the Savannah College of Art and Design and an A.A. degree in Art from the College of Coastal Georgia. He has appeared on the Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Science Channel and History Channel. His History Channel appearance became the highest-rated episode in the network's history. He has a passion for Native American history and art. He is the founder and publisher of LostWorlds.org.