Beyond Subsistence: Toxic burrfishes and non-food-based economies among the Calusa complex fisher-hunter-gatherers of the American Southeast

Abstract

Many animal species exploited by humans play important roles beyond simply consumption. While disentangling the diverse roles of animals and animal resources from the archaeological record can be difficult, it is especially important for establishing holistic perspectives of past lifeways and economies. Recent zooarchaeological investigations at the Mound Key site in southwestern Florida have identified unique assemblages containing unprecedented numbers of burrfishes (Diodon spp. and Chilomycterus schoepfii) remains, represented only by their maxillae and dentaries. Through this case study, I evaluate the potential use of burrfishes by the Calusa of southwestern Florida to explore non-food-based economies in a complex fisher-hunter-gatherer society. The lethal toxicity of burrfishes, combined with the unique composition of elements represented in the assemblages, point towards a non-food use for these species. Here I suggest the deposits at Mound Key likely represent past specialized production and possible use of a toxic resource not often theorized, especially in the US Southeast.