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The Miami Circle
A Tequesta Legacy

The Miami Circle
The "Miami Circle," pictured at the right, is located at Brickell Point, Miami Florida. The photograph was taken by Mark Diamond, DiamondImages.com

The Miami Circle was discovered in August/September, 1998, during routine archaeo-logical investigations conducted at the site of six low-rise, 1950-era apartment buildings (Brickell Point Apartments), which were razed to make way for construction of two high-rise apartment towers. Surveyor Ted Riggs uncovered an arc-like section and was convinced this would be a circle incised into the stone, underneath the three feet of overlying earth. Considering the amount of modern construction (and demolition) that has taken place on top of the site, the Miami Circle is remarkably intact -- with approximately 85% of it preserved. The Brickell Point property contains intact prehistoric midden deposits on at east 50% - 75% of the parcel. This material contains a tremendous quantity of well-preserved shell, bone, ceramics, and other artifacts deposited during several centuries of human occupation.

Archaeological evidence suggests the Miami Circle marks the footprint [foundation] of a large, prehistoric structure, possibly the "foundations for a 'Coucil
House,' or other ceremonial structure created by native Americans known as the Tequesta. The evidence also suggests that the Miami Circle had ceremonial importance to the Tequesta:

• Cardinal points (i.e. North, South, East, and West) along the Miami Circle appear to have been specially denoted. In particular, an eye-shaped hole was cut into the bedrock at the Circle's eastern point. Its shape was unique among hundreds of holes uncovered at the site.
• Two possible animal offerings, a complete sea turtle carapace and the articulated remains of a shark more than six feet in length, were found within the Circle's interior. Each was oriented east-west, a practice often associated with prehistoric human burials.
• Several teeth belonging to an extinct species of seal were found within the Miami Circle. Spanish explorer's accounts indicate that the consumption of monk seals, or "sea wolves," were reserved for the elite class.
• Two finely-crafted stone axes were found found along the Miami Circle's eastern portion. One of these was recovered from within a posthole cut into the bedrock, and possibly represents an offering. Both axes were made of basalt, a volcanic rock that is not native toFlorida.
• The minority scientists say that the structure's puzzling ring-shaped array of 30 rectangular "basins" are more analogous to England's "Stonehenge" -- once serving as the "foundation slots" for a ring of 30 upright stones, which once stood in the currently surviving geometric bedrock basins -"an archeo-astronomical "stonehenge-like device," for observing the solstices and equinoxes, as well as other astronomically-based ceremonial uses ..."

Miami Circle Fundraising Information
On June 28, 1999, a Miami-Dade County Circuit Court Judge ruled that Miami-Dade County has the right to take the Miami Circle property form developer Michael Baumann, clearing the way for the tranformation of the ancient Tequesta site into an archaeological preserve. The value on the 2.2 acre property at the mouth of the Miami River, will be decided by a jury.

On March 16th Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penales and County Manager, Merrett Stierheim, held a meeting with the various groups working to save the Miami Circle. They urged the groups to work together in fundraising and public awareness. At the meeting there were representatives from The Historical Society, Dade Heritage Trust, Miami-Dade Mayor’s office, Native Americans, Miami Circle supporters, Backus Turner International and TribaLink International.

he ancient archeological site has been covered in every major news media including CNN, NBC Today Show, The New York Times, and Associated Press.

The public outcry and the plea of school children, as well as thousands of letters written to public officials from President Clinton to Mayor Penelas has stopped development on the site. An emergency injunction filed by Miami-Dade County lawyers and the support of Governor Bush and the Florida Cabinet has given Circle supporters a ray of hope. The main focus now is raising the money needed to purchase the land at the mouth of the Miami River where the ancient Circle was found.

Discovery of the Tequesta Indian Site Circle has presented us with a unique opportunity to physically connect to our past as we look towards our future. Such an opportunity is indeed, quite rare and presents this community with an awesome responsibility to do what is right while balancing public policy interests. I would like to see the site preserved for the many generations of Miami-Dade Countians," said Mayor Penelas at the Task Force meeting.

Contributions are being received at the following address:
Miami Circle Trust Fund" 111 NW 1st St. Miami-Dade Office of Management and Budget Suite 2710 Miami FL 33128 Attention: Terea Hebert (Please make checks payable to: Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.)