Publications

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The pace of change of Miami since its incorporation in 1896 is staggering. The seaside land that once was home to several thousand Tequesta is now congested with roads and millions of people while skyscrapers and artificial lights dominate the landscape. Ironically, Miami's development both continually erases monuments and traces of indigenous people and historic pioneers yet also leads to the discovery of archaeological treasures that have lain undiscovered for centuries. In Digging Miami, Robert Carr traces the rich 11,000-year human heritage of the Miami area from the time of its first inhabitants through the arrival of European settlers and up to the early twentieth century. Carr was Dade County's first archaeologist, later historic preservation director, and held the position at a time when redevelopment efforts unearthed dozens of impressive archaeological sites, including the Cutler Site, discovered in 1985, and the controversial Miami Circle, found in 1998. Digging Miami presents a unique anatomy of this fascinating city, dispelling the myth that its history is merely a century old.
This comprehensive synthesis of South Florida's archaeological record will astonish readers with the depth of information available throughout an area barely above sea level. Likewise, many will be surprised to learn that modern builders, before beginning construction, must first look for signs of ancient peoples' lives, and this search has led to the discovery of over one hundred sites within the county in recent years. In the end, we are left with the realization that Miami is more than the dream of entrepreneurs to create a tourist mecca built on top of dredged rock and sand; it is a fascinating, vibrant spot that has drawn humans to its shores for thousand of years. 

"A wonderful, moving narrative of the archaeology of greater Miami."--Paul George, editor of Tequesta

"Amazing. In spite of the intense urban development of Southeast Florida, valuable archaeological contexts are still present and continually being discovered."--Randolph Widmer, University of Houston

W. C. Schaffer, R. S. Carr, J. S. Day, M. P. Pateman

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 22: 45-69 (2012). doi:10.1002/oa.1180 

Lisette Roura Alvarez, Odlanyer Hernandez de Lara

 Ciencia Y Sociedad 44(4):35-50 (2019). doi: 10.22206/cys.2019.v44i4.pp35-50

Odlanyer Hernandez de Lara, Robert S. Carr

Adventures in Florida Archaeology (2019)

Robert S. Carr, Ryan Franklin

Adventures in Florida Archaeology (2019)

Robert Carr, Ryan Franklin, and Odlanyer Hernandez de Lara 

Presentation / Southeastern Archaeological Conference. Proceedings of the 75th Annual Meeting. November 14-17, 2018 

Archaeological testing of agricultural fields in the eastern Everglades has resulted in the discovery of creeks and prehistoric sites buried beneath the muck. This creek system had been previously unknown and was undetected during earlier assessments. Aerial photographs taken during and after sugar cane cultivation revealed the ancient creek system and resulted in the discovery of a 2,000-3,000 year-old prehistoric midden (8PB17113) and cemetery (8PB17114). 

Rodrigo Cardenas, Robert Carr, and Danielle Ashley Simon 

Poster / 70th Annual Meeting of the Florida Anthropological Society, May 2018