Mill Cove was part of a larger, far-flung interaction sphere. Through their networks, the people of Northeast Florida acquired powerful objects essential to their spiritual well-being like copper items, galena cubes, mica pieces, and stone artifacts. Originating from faraway sources such as the Great Lakes, Ozark Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, and the urban center of Cahokia along the Mississippi River near St. Louis, these “otherworldly” materials made their way to our region.
A pair of items that stand out are two Long-Nosed God Masks recovered from one of the Mill Cove mounds in 1895. The ear ornaments, crafted from cold hammered copper, traveled from their place of manufacture at Cahokia to Mill Cove some 1000 years ago. These and other exotic items were no mere trinkets but vibrant and living materials of utmost importance to St. Johns’ religious life. During proper rituals, these powerful items helped transform the everyday world by providing tangible connections between the living, their ancestors, and otherworldly beings. In essence, these inanimate objects came to life.
