Submerged Prehistoric Florida at New Ground Reef

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A portion of Florida's ancient, submerged shoreline from approximately 8,500 years ago has been discovered hidden beneath the sea floor in 45 feet of water off the western Florida Keys. In 2002, researchers unearthed a remarkably well-preserved deposit, buried underneath 1.5 meters of silty muck and sand. The site contained fragments of Mangrove and Pine trees, pinecones, a peat-like organic layer, and intertidal oyster shells, some of which had been charred by fire, possibly caused by lightning strikes. This remarkable discovery was made possible through magnetometer surveys conducted by the RPM Nautical Foundation and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum while searching for shipwrecks. It is believed that prehistoric fires created a field of thermoremnant magnetism, resulting in a detectable magnetic anomaly. The uncovered area measures approximately 1 meter in diameter. Images taken at the time of discovery were used to create this model.