- Is it just a random collection of natural
holes?
-
- The drain field for septic tank?
-
- The remains of a circular driveway?
-
- Or of a landscape arrangement of palm
trees?
-
- Of a narow-gauge railroad turntable?
Of a water tower?
-
- Many alternate explanations for the Miami
Circle have been proposed by scientists, New Age adherents and the very
imaginative.
-
- Miami-Dade archaeologists and other experts
who have examined the site say those theories are wrong. They say the Circle,
whatever its purpose might have been, was carved by humans hundreds of
years ago.
-
- "Its too easy for someone to analyze
something they haven't seen," said John Ricisak, a Miami-Dade archaeologist
and field director on the Circle site. "I've been here virtually every
day for seven months. No one knows better than I what this may be."
-
- John Gifford, an archaeologist at the
university of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science,
has examined the site six times since September. Any chance it is not hundreds
of years old and created by humans?
-
- "Zero," Gifford said. "This
is an archaeological site that is at least 500 and possible 2,000 years
old. It is not recent."
-
- Here's a look at some of the theories:
-
- (1) Natural holes that happen to form
a circular pattern.
-
- Some believe that the basins within the
Circle and other holes on the site were caused by rain water and minerals
that leached through the limestone bedrock. Though such holes are found
elswhere in South Florida, local archaeologists say the rectangular basins
and most of the other holes in or near the Circle bear unmistakable markings
of ancient tools. One tool in particular, a wood stake tipped with a sharp
seashell, has been shown capable of penetrating the limestone, Ricisak
said. In addition, Gifford said: "The mayority of the holes all share
common characteristics of size and depth. I think they are contemporary
with each other and pre-Columbian in time." That means they were carved
before Christopher Columbus'arrival in the Americas in 1492.
-
- (2) The drain field of the septic tank
still on the site and once used by a now-razed apartment complex. Again,
the holes appear to have tool markings, archaeologists say. In addition,
the elevation of the site would have carried drainage away from most of
the Circle, Ricisak said.
-
- (3) The remains of a circular driveway
or holes dug for palm trees once found on the Brickell estate that sat
on the site.
-
- Ricisak said close study has shown that
the driveway and the Circle do not line up. As for the holes dug for the
palm trees...
-
- "Ridiculous," Ricisak said.
"If I'm not going to dig a regular pattern of rectangular holes. The
holes would be round. And again, the tool marks are not consistent with
those of a shovel or a pick ax."
-
- (4) The foundation of a narrow-gauge
railroad's turntable or a water tower. These theories have gained credence
on the Internet, but research by archaeologists and The Herald has found
no evidence that either structure ever existed on the site. Local archaeologists
said they welcome theories on what purpose the Circle might have served.
But at this point, they have little patience for those who insist it may
not be of archaeological value. "That's part of science, the need
to withstand the criticism of our peers." Ricisak said. "But
it's frustating to keep dealing with these things that come from people
who have never seen the site."
-
- Herald senior writer Martin Merzer can
be reached by e-mail at:
-
- mmerzer@herald.com
-
-
- ---
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