archaeology – Snapping The Globe

The Beach and Bygone Times

The sun…

Oh, how I LOVE the sun!

Summer is my season and I love all the fun things that come with it, like going to the beach. Growing up in Louisiana, we were not far from the sunny, Emerald Coast of Florida with its clear, blue waters. Many vacations were spent traveling the short six hours and getting that Panama Jack tan all in a week’s time!

As I have grown older, however, lying on a beach for a solid week doesn’t cut it for me anymore, especially when I am visiting a new location. The travel bug, that resides in me, itches to go out and explore what makes that particular location…well, particular.

This year, since COVID 19 limited our travel options, we decided to make the drive to Florida and let our children experience what we once did in our teens and early twenties.

Having decided to stay in Fort Walton Beach, we were excited to see that the weather forecast was predicting fair skies for most of the week. After the extremely long drive from our home in Virginia, it was fun to wake early the next morning, make our way down to the white sandy beach and plant ourselves under the umbrella for the day!

As much as I loved being back to what felt almost like home, I was getting a bit antsy after only two days, especially when I awakened to darkened skies that morning. Taking the opportunity to run an errand or two, I also decided to head into downtown Fort Walton to explore the Heritage Park and Cultural Center. I had spotted this place on the way to our condominium and was quite curious. I didn’t remember ever seeing it when I was younger, but then, at that time of my life, museums were probably just not that interesting to me.

Taking a spot in the parking lot off of Miracle Strip Parkway, I made my way to the museum which has been in operation since 1962. The current building was opened in 1972 and houses information and exhibits which depict 12,000 years of Native American occupation. Making my way through the modest structure, I inspected the display cases which highlight over 1,000 artifacts of stone, bone, clay and shell, prehistoric ceramics, artifacts from European explorers, local pirates and early settlers and weaving and baskets examples.

My visit to the museum lasted less than an hour and I made my way out of the doors to climb the stairs to the the prehistoric temple mound, one of the highest points on the local landscape. The Indian Temple Mound was built as a ceremonial and political center between 800 and 1400AD by the native inhabitants of the area. Standing twelve feet tall and measuring two-hundred and twenty three feet across its base, it is thought to be one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on the Gulf Coast.

In 1964, the Indian Temple Mound was designated a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Historic Register. The original temple sat atop the mound and was used as the residence of the leader, a temple for religious ceremonies and a place to direct the activities of the village. I learned that it was, and still is, a sacred burial ground, leaving me to think that it may not be a place to walk near after dark if you are a believer in ghosts!

After the mound was abandoned, its history was affected by the arrival of Confederate Soldiers during the Civil War and by the excavations executed by the Smithsonian Institute seeking information about the original inhabitants.

Though I could only maintain a fair distance from the temple at the top of the mound, the area surrounding the base was open for inspection.

There are three other museums in the complex; Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, Garnier Post Office Museum, and the Civil War Exhibit Building. As I walked to the far end of the property, I learned that due to Covid 19 restrictions in the state, these other buildings were closed to visitors. I was, however, able to inspect the exteriors and take a peek into some of the windows.

The Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, of which the exterior was being restored when we visited, was one of the museums on the premises that I would have loved to visit and will certainly return to in the future. It is a historic two-room structure that covers the history of education in the county from 1911 to the 1930’s. Once located on Main Street, this is the third location that the schoolhouse has been set upon. Built of native timber, the school was opened in 1912 with one teacher and fifteen students and all levels of education were taught in the one room institution for fifteen years. In 1927, another room was added for high school students and their teacher. Nine years, later, the students were moved to the New Fort Walton School. The old schoolhouse was purchased and moved to eventually serve as apartments for families during World War II and for years after. The building was left to deteriorate during the 1970’s and scheduled for demolition when the Junior Service League stepped in. Persuading the owners to donate the building, it was preserved and continued to serve in an educational capacity. It was moved to its present location in 2006.

Another museum on the premises is the Garnier Post Office Museum. This museum exhibits items from the early days of the postal service of Walton county from 1918 to 1956.

Originally located on the beach of Garnier’s Bayou, the service was relocated at the junction of Mooney and Garnier Post Roads in 1918. Under the direction of the postmaster, Euphrates A. Mooney until his death in 1935, the operations of the office was then assumed by his wife Julia, who served for twenty-eight years. Just before Mrs. Mooney’s death in 1956, the small post office was closed and thirty years later, the building was moved onto First Street behind the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum. After its restoration, the Garnier Post Office Museum was moved with the schoolhouse in 2006.

The final museum is the one that houses Exhibits of the Civil War and was constructed in this location in 2010. There are various items in the gallery that depict life of the Civil War soldiers stationed here during the era, information about the state’s secession, slavery in Florida, prisoners of war and other information about important events that happened during wartime.

Walking back to my car, I realized that the steady drizzle that had plagued my visit had now stopped. As I put my car into drive and headed out to the Miracle Strip Parkway, a ray of sunshine illuminated the bridge to Okaloosa Island. A rainbow hovered over the island and I realized that the end was situated just near our condominium, where I was was returning to!

Even with my love for the sun, which you hope for on a beach vacation, there has to be days of clouds and rain. Years ago, when I was hoping for my deep, dark tan, I would have been frustrated to have a rainy day. Today, it was a blessing…a day to experience the culture of the area. The true pot of gold at the end of that rainbow!

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Indian Temple Mound Museum

https://www.fwb.org/parksrec/page/indian-temple-mound-museum
Address: 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548
Hours: 1000-1500, Tuesday-Saturday *Current hours due to Covid 19 reduction
Admission: $3.00 plus tax, ages 4 and older. *Current admission price due to Covid 19 reduced hours and admittance. Only the Indian Temple Mound and the Indian Temple Mound Museum are open at this time…7/28/2020 thru the publication of this article, 10/6/2020.

Santorini South, Part Two

The day was perfect.

Blue skies and amazing views were everywhere.

Heading further south on the well-maintained roads of Santorini, we continued on our journey to see what the scenic island would offer up to us.

After gazing out over Caldera Beach, we headed to the prehistoric town of Akrotiri. An ancient Minoan Bronze Age settlement, it was destroyed by a severe earthquakes and eventually a volcanic eruption at the last quarter of the 17th century B.C. Much like Pompeii in Italy, volcanic materials covered the town, protecting them for the town’s resurgence in later years. Since I had never been to Pompeii (something high on my bucket list), I was excited to see this well-preserved archaeological site and understand what I might see when I finally made my way to the Italian ruins.

The settlement, however, is protected by a bioclimatic roof and very different from pictures I had seen of Pompeii. After paying our entrance fee, we made our way around well-marked site, navigable by walkways suspended above the archaeological remains.

There were many important buildings that were mostly intact, including multi-storied houses, a few containing well-preserved frescoes, pottery and precious stone and bronze objects. Most of the important pieces that have been recovered, however, are now on display in the Museum of Prehistoric Thera.

After our visit was complete, we had planned to have lunch nearby and make our way to the adjacent Red Beach. So many cars and pedestrians were entering the parking area, however, we decided to alter our plans. Driving out past the modern-day village of Akrotiri, with its picturesque alleys, blue domed churches and traditional houses, we found a lovely restaurant, The Good Heart, located along the highway, to have a quick bite. Greeted warmly, we ate our lunch and bought some delicious snacks at their adjacent store.

Once our lunch and shopping was complete, we continued down to the end of the highway, stopping a couple of times to admire the continually beckoning caldera.

Our destination was the Akrotiri Lighthouse and we soon arrived, luckily securing a parking spot in the small lot. The well-known lighthouse is considered one of the best and most beautiful lighthouses in the Greek Isles.

A whitewashed structure, the lighthouse stands high on the cliff above the sea. Manufactured by a French company is 1892, it was one of the first lighthouses in the country and stands on a popular spot for tourists to enjoy the views and for locals to spend their evenings enjoying the cool breezes and spectacular sunsets.

Finally, heading back from the way we had just come, we decided that we had conquered most of the the southern sites of Santorini, but now needed to enjoy a bit of beach time. Heading down a small, rocky road toward the southern coast, we soon arrived at the Akro Beach Club.

Taking the steep stairs down the side of the cliff, we found ourselves at one of the three picturesque beaches that line the coast. Red, White and Black Beaches occupy methodical positions that can be reached by car in two of the instances (Red and Black) and by water taxi. Though we later learned that the water taxi would have been a cool alternative for us to see all three beaches, we were anxious to grab some beach chairs, beer and soak up some sun.

The beach was black, as its name suggests and a bit rocky. Thankfully, we had brought water shoes, making it much less difficult to make it down to the water’s edge. The water, however, was a bit cold for me!

The ambiance was amazing and we stayed much longer than we had anticipated, enjoying the sound of the waves, passing boats and warm weather. The beach was uncrowded and passengers from the water taxi came and went. More importantly, the beer was cold and refreshing!

As the day drew to a close, we finally made our way up the steep road…

To another beautiful sunset.

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Akrotiri

http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2410
Address: Thera 847 00, Greece
Hours: November 1-March 31, 0800-1500, Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday. April 15-October 31, 0800-2000, daily.
Admission: Full, €12, Reduded, €6. Special package 4-day ticket is for Archaelogical Sites and Museum in Thera Ancient Thera, Akrotiri, Archaeological Museum, Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Collection of Icons and Ecclesiastical Artefacts at Pyrgos. Free admission days, March 6, April 18, May 18, last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days), National Holidays, October 28, every first Sunday from November 1 to March 31.
Getting There: By rental car, parking is available in adjacent lot, €4 or in Red Beach parking lot, €2. KTEL Santorini bus service to Akrotiri from Fira. Check out bus schedules at https://www.ktel-santorini.gr/index.php/en/.

Akrotiri Lighthouse

Address: Thera 847 00, Greece
Hours: 24 hours, daily
Admission: free

Black Beach

Address: Thera 847 00, Greece

Akro Beach Bar

https://www.akrosantorini.com/
Address: Akrotiri 847 00, Greece
Hours: 1000-2200, daily
Admission: free.
Beach chair/umbrella pairs, $30 first row, $20 second row, $15 last row. Menu item prices vary. Food/drink service located on beach and in restaurant. Locked safety boxes available at beach chairs.

Akrotiri Water Taxi

Journeys to all three beaches, 10€ from Akrotiri, near Red Beach.

A Walk in the Jungle

Having visited San Gervasio archaeological site twice in the past, it was a place about which I could have said, “Been there, done that”.

Not me…

I love ruins and architecture. So why would I not go back?

The largest and most important archaeological site on Cozumel is a sanctuary to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility and love. Located in the center of the island in the middle of a lush jungle, populated with iguanas, flowers and foliage, the site’s name was taken from the agricultural and cattle ranch, San Gervasio, founded by Mr. Gervasio Novelo on September 14, 1858.

The site’s original name is unknown, but its long history dates back to 100 BC and it continued into the late 16th century, with the arrival of the Spaniards.

For the duration of San Gervasio’s existence, women have made the obligatory pilgrimage to pay tribute to Ixchel, “She Of the Rainbows”, deity of midwifery, fertility and women.

The site’s entrance is well-marked on Transversal Road, but once turning from the main road, the drive is long and narrow and marked with a speed limit that I think the iguanas could outrun.

A decent parking lot is available for those with rentals and a nice, attendant will keep an eye on your car…be sure, he will remember you and be standing nearby for his tip!

When entering the complex and paying your entrance fee of $4.50, you will first encounter a courtyard, with a few souvenir shops. Since, I only had a rain slicker, we were trying to purchase a small umbrella for my son. The shops only carried the long, curved handle type, for $10, which would have been impossible to bring home. One of the shop owners, offered to lend us one, for a tip…actually a good deal for us and a smart move on her part. How many times has this umbrella paid for itself?

Another tip I learned later was about bug spray…definitely bring your own. My son is a mosquito magnet and I did not think of picking up some while in town. The shop vendors were more than willing to sell us a very expensive can, which we did not purchase due to the size and cost. Later, I learned that we could have asked for a spray down for a tenth of the cost of the can…something we should have definitely done for my son.

It is in this area that you can hire a guide to take you throughout the complex and the price for the both of us was $20, though we opted not to use this service. Restrooms are also located here and I recommend using the facilities before entering the site.

Before entering the actual archaeological site, you encounter another ticket counter. I don’t understand the logic here…would you seriously pay just to enter the courtyard? Anyway, here we paid $5 each and received our tickets.

The site is very well laid out, well marked and has sturdy paths to lead you from one area to the next in the front of the complex.

One of the first buildings you encounter is the The Little Hands Structure, so named because of the red colored hand prints that mark the wall. The temple is comprised of two rooms in which a small temple was built in the interior of one of them.

Another small house-like structure is located nearby, although it is almost certain to have had a ceremonial use. A small temple is also located in the center of the structure.

As we continued on, we encountered other small structures, but an impressive arch-like structure, which marked the intersection of two ancient roads or sacbés, caught my eye. In pre-hispanic days, The Arch Structure, was the entrance or exit of the central part of San Gervasio. Pilgrims and traders would reach the famous sanctuary of Ixchel to make an offering at the altar that lies in the middle of the vaulted passageway. It was here that many statues to Ixchel were found and are still being discovered. One of the statues, a large ceramic image of Ixchel was believed to have delivered oracles spoken by a hidden priestess for pilgrims with questions.

From this point, we chose one of the two roads to either Pozo or Nohoch Nah. The paved paths ended here and the road was rocky and a bit muddy from the recent rains.

Nohoch Nah, also known as the the Big House Structure, was quite an impressive one. An altar in the middle of the enclosure, in which offerings were placed can be seen through the grated metal that covers the doorways. Most archaeological sites prohibit you from standing on or climbing the structures, however, this one allows for climbing the stairs and walking around the formation giving you a distinct understanding of how the Mayans felt when they utilized the structure.

After a long and drizzly walk through the jungle, complete with massive puddles blocking the path, we soon arrived at Murciélagos y Pet Nah. The Muciélagos and Round House Structures were the most important buildings in the Late Classic period in San Gervasio. The principal center of the site was located here and it was also here that the Overlord resided. The Round House was named as such due to the unusual rounded platforms and its altar which is also round. Again, we were able to climb to the top of the rounded platforms giving us a different perspective of Murciélagos.

After another long and muddy walk through the jungle, we soon arrived at the final area of San Gervasio, complete with four distinct structures. The Palace Structure contained colonnaded halls most of which can still be seen standing on the foundation. Though you were not prohibited from climbing the other structures, here, signs inform you that it is not allowed.

In this wide, grassy area, another structure, is the Ossuary, The structure was aptly named after numerous human remains were found inside during exploration of the building. The temple no longer exists, but originally had masonry walls and a a roof.

Another smaller structure also stands here in this area, Structure 25B, which was also another colonnaded hall with a masonry roof. Different from other colonnaded halls, it only had three pillars with square bases and three columns with round bases.

Back to the smooth, paved walkways, we made our way toward the front of the complex returning our umbrella along the way.

Though San Gervasio is not quite as large as Chichen Itza or many of the other massive ruin sites in the Riviera Maya and has not had a lot of restoration, the numerous structures that can be viewed at close range amid the beautiful natural setting makes the off-the-beaten trek, worthwhile.

So…grab your sunglasses, umbrella and bug spray and your sense of adventure…head on over to San Gervasio.

Check out more pictures on Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

San Gervasio

http://www.inah.gob.mx/es/zonas/101-zona-arqueologica-san-gervasio
Address: Kilómetro 7.5, Carretera Transversal, Centro, 77600 Cozumel, Q.R., Mexico
Hours: Monday thru Sunday, 0800-1630
Admission: $9.50
How To Get There: By car, head north on Transversal Road from downtown Cozumel. The entrance is well-marked. If you are arriving by cruise ship, many taxis will take you to the ruins and wait for about $70 and return you to San Miguel or the cruise ship’s dock.