Archaeologists are using new methods to search for evidence of Angola, a free black settlement that existed in Florida in the early 19th century. They are examining areas where artifacts might have been left by people who were constantly on the move, rather than fixed settlements. The team is conducting surveys of potential sites, reexamining artifacts found in previous excavations, and using ground-penetrating radar to search for underground remains without digging. This widens the search beyond traditional archaeological techniques focused only on settlements. Any clues found will help form new hypotheses about where else to search for evidence of Angola.

1. A HERALD-TRIBUNE MEDIA GROUP NEWSPAPER-IN-EDUCATION PUBLICATION LOOKING FOR ANGOLA 17
I
n their search for physical evidence of Angola’s
existence, archaeologists Dr. Uzi Baram and
Dr. Terry Weik are working from an alternative
paradigm. The search for artifacts left behind by
freedom seekers always on the move, compels the
Angolaarchaeologyteamtodivergefromtheusual
fixed model of their field. Dr. Baram explained
that the process involves a learning curve, because
it is an approach that involves a location area, a
time period of migration, a surge towards freedom,
rather than fixed places.
“The model needs to reflect that movement
in order to find these ephemeral sites. That’s a
big shift from the typical archaeological approach.
Instead of digging holes in the ground, we’re doing
surveys so we can see if in fact there is something
underground there. If you’re just looking at the
settlement, you’re missing the whole story.”
explained Dr. Baram.
This method explains why and where the
team conducted the underwater survey on the
river, and then the Witten Technology subsurface
survey. Their thinking was to spread out within a
large location, looking for artifacts tied to the time
periodofthemid-nineteenthcentury. Discovering
anobjectthatmadethatconnectioncouldprovide
initial clues to form the next hypothesis for where
to look.
The widening of the net also includes re-
examination of previously dug up artifacts, which
might tell a different story within the
context of Angola.
For example, from previous excavations
at Reflections of Manatee, there are many
boxes of artifacts in storage that had
never been closely examined. One of
Dr. Howard’s students, Nathan Lawres, is
charged with the task of inspecting the
contents of all the boxes. He is looking
for something that may not have been
of interest when it was dug up but may
be interesting now within the context
of Angola.
The Tabby House ruins, located
at DeSoto Point, is another area
worthy of consideration for further
archaeological study. The site is
associated with a merchant from Key
West, William H. Shaw, who operated
there from the 1840s to the 1850s.
When mean ceramic dating was done
of the artifacts excavated from the
ruins in the late 1990s, some of the
objects tested to the early nineteenth
century (1810-1819). For obvious reasons, that is
a really interesting time period for us. Back when
the excavation was done, the focus was on Shaw.
This is an opportunity for more work to be done at
the Tabby House ruins, to follow up the lead that
seemingly points to Angola.
Dr. Uzi Baram elaborated, “This is casting
the net widely. Looking for previous excavated
materials will allow us to see much more than
traditional archaeological techniques.”
Another connection to Angola may come
from a one-room museum constructed by a
land developer back in the 1980’s. He built the
little house in order to preserve objects of some
archaeological significance uncovered during
construction. A resident of this gated island
community south of Bradenton contacted Dr. Uzi
Looking for Angola
UNDERGROUND
Diggin’ in the
Herald-Tribune:
Over the course of a week or two,
use the newspaper to look for objects
and places that are connected with your
community and modern-day society.
Working in small groups, cut and paste
these photos onto a small piece of poster
board. Examine your collection and
think, “200 years from now, what will
people say about what we left behind?” After a
group discussion, write down at least 1-2 thoughts
for each photo displayed. Share your work with the
class to instigate further discussion of the topic.
Sunshine State Standards: LA8311, LA8352, LA8353,
LA8421, LA8521, LA8522, LA8632
“ThesearchforAngolawillattractgroupstraditionallyunderrepresented
in archaeology. The story brings together the heritage of Africans in
America and the Caribbean, the Spanish in Florida, Seminoles on the
Gulf Coast and American expansion into the state’s interior.”
~ Dr. Rosalyn Howard, University of Central Florida Magazine,
Quest, Spring 2005
“Dr. Canter Brown Jr.’s archival research provides the hypothesis for the
archaeology. Brown provides a reasonable location for Angola and we are
testing that hypothesis, based on what we know about maroon communities
(with the Suwannee community being a model).” ~ Dr. Uzi Baram
Example of a tabby structure.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MANATEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Tabby is a mixture of shell, sand, lime
(made from shells burned to ash),
and water. Tabby construction was
very common in the southeast during
the settlement period, as it utilized
locally available material in places
where there is no natural stone or
soil appropriate for producing brick.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

2. 18 LOOKING FOR ANGOLA A HERALD-TRIBUNE MEDIA GROUP NEWSPAPER-IN-EDUCATION PUBLICATION18 LOOKING FOR ANGOLA A HERALD-TRIBUNE MEDIA GROUP NEWSPAPER-IN-EDUCATION PUBLICATION
Baram. She had heard about the Angola story
and thought he might be interested in their
neighborhood artifacts. Baram made an initial
visit to the tiny museum this year. The materials
look like they come from the time of Angola.
Dr. Baram believes that it’s possible they are
associated with the rancho-Cuban fishing
community that traded goods with the people
of Angola. Thanks to “Looking for Angola’s”
public awareness campaign, this information
came to light.
In order to effectively facilitate the
examination and storage of all the artifacts for
the Angola project, Dr. Baram and his team
now have the opportunity to relocate from their
temporary working quarters at the University
of Central Florida and the Sarasota County
History Center. Space will be made available
on campus by New College to house a new
working research laboratory, funded by a grant.
The archeology facility will be equipped to
allow students and researchers to complete their
fieldwork investigations. Dr. Baram is excited
about this auspicious development, “You can’t
imagine what a difference it makes. With a lab,
I will be able to do so much more.”
“The federal funding received by New
College for our new public archaeology research
laboratory is a tribute to the outstanding work
being done by Professor Uzi Baram and his
students researching and documenting the
history of our area,” said Dr. Mike Michalson,
president of New College of Florida. “Through
projects like Looking for Angola , Dr. Baram is
helping create a better understanding of Florida
‘s diverse history and its rich cultural heritage.”
Moving to Land
and Underground
“Looking for Angola’s” historical
archaeologist, Dr. Uzi Baram summarized, “The
results of the river survey, in terms of what we
were specifically looking for, were disappointing.
Dr. Cozzi found that the dredgings done in the
past by the Army Corps of Engineers really
cleaned out the river bottom. This is part of
archaeology. We went back to the land now,
to the area around Manatee Mineral Springs. I
wanted to do a subsurface survey.”
With the good fortune of having Witten
Technologies aboard, Dr. Baram was able to do
this.
Using a John Deere tractor and a device
dragging behind that looks like a lawn mower,
high quality, three-dimensional movies were
taken of a two/three? acre area. The technology
of the device, called Radar Tomography (RT),
sends out an electromagnetic pulse, which
connects with the dry, sandy, electrically
conductive Florida soil. The pulse behaves much
like a signal “net” that is cast underground, and
then one inch at a time, the images peel away
fromthecontactthatoccurs. Muchlikedolphins
and bats use sound or echolocation to visualize
what they can’t see, RT technology can do it
electrically. The maximum depth capability for
RT technology in Florida soil on average detects
objects down to about 8-10 feet. Moving at a
careful speed of 2 miles per hour, the survey was
completed in about 36 hours.
This same high tech equipment is more
regularly used in working with the utility industry
to detect targets of interest during exploratory
digging, like water mains and gas lines. Such
underground infrastructures are impossible to
locateonoutdatedcitymaps. RadarTomography
used alternatively to assess underground damage
near the World Trade Center site after 9/11 has
now found another application in the field of
archaeology.
Robert Green, CEO of Witten Technologies
added, “Without turning a shovel, underground
items such as house foundations, artifact clusters
and archaeological features can be identified
using geophysics. The non-invasive method
involves a mobile array of ground-penetrating
radar antennas, a laser survey station, and image
processing software.” According to Green, the
company volunteered their services in the search
for Angola.
Dr.Baramelaborated,“Thedatadoesn’ttellus
what’s underground, but that there is something
underground. Our next step is the excavations.
We haven’t gotten to the point yet of getting
volunteersouttodig. We’reexaminingtheimage
survey more closely to locate the probability of
artifact remains. Then we will need to excavate
to see what they are.”
In addition to Angola layers, Baram hopes the
survey will reveal multiple histories of the area.
These histories revealed through the public
archaeology of the “Looking for Angola” project,
in addition to other important local studies,
involve citizens in the pursuit of their place and
history. The ultimate outcome of all this work
is the cultivation of cultural pride and increased
community involvement. Furthermore, Angola
“highlights local black and Seminole history for
diverse local audiences. These public discussions
of Angola and its violent demise enrich bridge-
building conversations about race and diversity
in the region.”*
*Source: Federal earmark request for funding of the new
archaeology laboratory at New College
HISTORICAL DETECTIVE ACTIVITY
Scenario: A book bag is found that contains
a variety of items. You can use these items to
discover what the owner is like. Much like an
archaeologist, you can examine things left behind
and form hypotheses (educated guesses) about
the person who used them and their daily life.
Inside the bookbag:
• Cell phone that can take pictures
• 5-subject spiral notebook
• Green iPod shuffle
• Tube of lip balm
• Package of tissues
• Mechanical pencil
• Parking ticket, $25 fine
What do we know so far about the owner,
given the items found in the bag? What further
clues can we look for? What are the facts?
Assumptions? Who might the owner be? Be a
historical detective. Working in pairs, create
a chart that shows each item, with facts &
assumptions branching out from each. Note: Be
creative (and appropriate) and make up a few
facts about what you find in the cell phone and
within the notebook. Use all these clues to
create a hypothesis for the bag’s owner. Next,
your teacher will introduce a new object, one
that was found through a rip in the lining of the
bag. How does this information change your
hypothesis? Modify your hypothesis accordingly,
and then share your conclusions with the class.
Sunshine State Standards: LA8223, LA8313, LA8332,
LA8352, LA8353, LA8422, LA8522, LA8642(optional),
SCH131, SSB233, SCH322, SCH324
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
“The ceramic
fragments are predominantly from refined
earthenwares such as those that might have been used by the
William Shaw family, but also include coarse earthenwares
that might more closely typify items used at fishing ranchos or
the Angola settlement.” ~ Traces of our Past website
Coarse earthenware, possibly Reyware from the Iberian
Peninsula. Produced from 1725-1825.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTHEAST ARCHEOLOGICAL CENTER (SOURCE: HTTP://
SITES.NCF.EDU/TRACESOFOURPAST/TABBY)

3. A HERALD-TRIBUNE MEDIA GROUP NEWSPAPER-IN-EDUCATION PUBLICATION LOOKING FOR ANGOLA 19
“L
ooking for Angola” is a multi-disciplinary
project that includes archaeological field
surveys of four sites in Manatee County,
Florida; historical research in the American South
and throughout England and the Bahamas; public
lectures; the production of a documentary; an
educational component that involves students
playingavitalroleasresearchers;andaninternational
cultural exchange program.
“Looking for Angola” as a project has depth
and staying power. It’s taken root in so many areas
and those roots are growing, radiating outward and
above ground enough to be noticeable. Project
Director, Vickie Oldham is steadfast in saying, “Our
mission is to Honor the memory of the residents so
that present and future generations will know about
their sacrifice, determination and courage.”
Oldham has many exciting plans in mind for their
deserved commemoration. She’s looking at other
models around the country, such as the African
Burial Ground Project in Manhattan. Their project
has erected monuments, put together museum
exhibits, held multiple ceremonies and memorial
services, just to name a few.
“With Angola we can do that and plan to do that
on a smaller scale.” Vickie Oldham has other dreams
of providing a greater variety of opportunities for
student involvement, such as a full-blown exchange
program, which would allow students from each
country to meet in person and then participate in
cultural activities together.
The ability of different scholars, community
members, descendants, and others to come together
could be called luck, coincidence or may be
connected to a forgotten people guiding us to tell
their story. Matthew Griffin’s Uncle John spoke
about himself and his nephew being called to
family duty by their “restless ancestors”. Perhaps
the ancestors’ unrest, spoken through engaged
descendents and scholars who recognize their story,
is indicating that the timing is right for people to
accept the lessons Angola has to offer.
The history and the spirit of Angola serve to
encourageourcuriosity. Thequestionstheybringup,
aboutthepastanditsconnectiontooursocietytoday,
engage both our intellect and emotions. Angola
points to issues of racism and cultural diversity, and
hopefully its story will become lessons acted out in
our lifetime. Learning about the consequences of
disharmony among disparate groups in the past can
lead our present generation to develop a greater
understanding and appreciation of multicultural
perspectives. Perhaps then freedom can come to
stay through equality and peace in the near future,
rather than be temporarily seized through repeated
and existing trials of slavery and war. For each
person who lives his life by the lessons imparted by
Angola, change can happen. Promoting change is
not as effective as the attraction that happens when
you live it. Learn from the story of Angola. Do your
part and live it, and the rest will follow.
Angola’s Restless LEGACY
SETTING OBJECTIVES,
COOPERATIVE LEARNING,
GENERATING AND
TESTING HYPOTHESES
Survival = Resourcefulness Activity: To quote
Dr. Terry Weik, “Histories like that of Angola are
an important lesson of survival strategy. They were
self-sufficient [resourceful]. They were able to grow
their own food, build their own houses…How many
of us can do that today? People are thinking about
that more and more, with the gas crisis, recent
hurricanes…”
Try on the Angola situation for size. Imagine you
and your classmates are left to fend for yourselves in
a wilderness area, which is located near a river. You
are far from civilization and any other people. All
you have are the clothes you’re wearing today. Help
won’t arrive for several days. With the skills you have
as a group, how would you survive in the meantime?
In preparation for discussion, each student can create
a list of his/her skills that could contribute to the
group’s survival. As a result of discussion, create a
chart to list your available resources and to show how
your efforts will be organized. Finally, summarize
your group experience in an FCAT-style extended
answer response format. Include important details
from the class chart.
Sunshine State Standards: LA8311, LA8312, LA8422,
LA8522, LA8613, LA8421
Matthew
Griffin’s Uncle
John, dressed
in Black
Seminole
attire, spoke
about himself
and his
nephew being
called to
family duty
by their
“restless
ancestors.”