Calcined Water Moccasin Vertebra (Photo courtesy of Samantha Wade) Since we only recovered snake vertebrae (back bones) and no skulls, it is difficult to prove or disprove that theory. This would be especially important for venomous snakes as mentioned above. Quenton suggested that cutmarks would not necessarily be present because snakes would have been knocked on the head before being thrown into the fire. Overall, only 3% of the snake bones had cutmarks, whereas 24% of deer (another undisputed food source) had cutmarks. Eastern Diamondback Vertebrae (Venomous left: not burned, right: burned) (photos courtesy of Samantha Wade) Venomous snakes would be thrown into the fire because people would not have wanted to accidentally step on one and inject themselves with venom. Quenton noted that snakes were unwelcome in camps and often killed so they could not return. This is where talking to Tribal members, such as Quenton Cypress, comes in handy. The difference between burning on snakes and fish bones is not large, and the fact that there is any burning at all needs to be explained. Only 5% of snake bones were burned, compared to 7% of fish bones and 24% of turtle bones. There was consistently less burning on snake bones than on turtle and fish bones. Water Snake (Non-Venomous) (photo courtesy of Shawn Keyte) The presence of cutmarks could be evidence of butchering the animal. Burn marks on the bones could indicate the animal was cooked. This included analyzing the evidence of burning and cutmarks on the bones. In order to understand some reasons why snakes might be there, we had to do some research. So why are they in the trash with things that are obviously food? Two test units from the North Crescent excavations Snakes are generally avoided and shouldn’t even be touched. They would never eat snakes because of cultural taboos. However, the Seminoles disagree with these findings. Based on similar evidence, researchers have long assumed that the only reason for snakes to be present in the midden would be because they, too, were being eaten. This makes sense when you think about how many people consider fish and turtles to be a delicious meal.

These bones can often be interpreted as evidence of what prehistoric people ate. Water Moccasin (Venomous) also known as a Cottonmouth (photo courtesy of Shawn Keyte) The majority of these bones belong to three types of animals: turtles (including softshell, cooter, and snapping turtles), fish (including bowfin, catfish, and garfish), and snakes (including corn, king, eastern diamondback and other rattlesnakes, and water moccasins).

At two test units excavated at the North Crescent site on the Brighton Reservation, the Tribal Archaeology Section (TAS) has uncovered literally thousands of bones, over 40,000 in fact. In prehistoric Tree Island middens (old piles of trash), a large amount of animal bones are often found deep within the ground.

A feast of snakes