There are more than 1000 artesian springs in Florida, the largest concentration in the world of this natural phenomenon. As Jason O'Donoughue points out, however, from the very beginning, although springs are natural geological and hydrological features, they are also heavily modified by humans in the past and the present; he thus asks, “Is there a more ‘cultural’ place?” (p. 8). Not only is the landscaped modified by dredging, channelling and much more (and threatened by pollution and groundwater extraction), but the springs are invested with meaning—and, which is the main theme of this book, the locations have acted as nodes structuring societies throughout the millennia, as evidenced by rich archaeological remains.

With this as the point of departure, O'Donoughue embarks on what he calls ‘Florida springs archaeology’. His aim is not only to write the archaeological (pre)history of springs in Florida, but also to put forward approaches and ways in which archaeology can play a central part in the conservation and heritage of the springs for the future. O'Donoughue points out the inherent paradox in natural/cultural features such as springs, with conservation practices seeking to restore an alleged pristine condition, which “often elide[s] the thousands of years of transformations that preceded it” (p. 8). While wilderness protection emphasises the primeval character without permanent improvements and human habitation, springs have always had a deep history of human entanglements. Moreover, annually, more than two million people visit Florida's springs, and hence one of the aims of the book is to explore how “archaeology can contribute in meaningful, substantive ways to spring conservation efforts and [recognise] that the historical value of springs is key to their future preservation” (p. 13).

Given the limits on space, I will not focus on the archaeological interpretations as such, but the ways that O'Donoughue situates archaeology not only in a broader landscape perspective, but more actively engages archaeology in the intricate and complex interplay of nature and culture through geological and human history. Hence, Chapter 2 is about the geology of springs and aquifers, how they are formed and how they can be defined and understood. The chapter includes a useful basic geological and hydrological history of Florida. This natural science background provides the backbone for understanding human modifications of the springs in the successive chapters, including the groundwater withdrawals that have resulted in the death of springs.

One characteristic of this book is the subtle and sophisticated way that theoretical approaches are introduced and used in the narrative. The structure and methodological procedure is empirical; meticulous archaeological material and natural data are presented and discussed, and when it becomes necessary to broaden the horizon of understanding to proceed with the analysis, a few ‘drops’ of carefully selected theories are included. A good example is found in the concept of events and non-events because “these distinctions, then, of event/non-event and experimental/analytical events help disentangle events that may be recognizable at the geological time-scale from those recognizable at the human perceptual scale” (p. 73). As another example, Ian Hodder's entanglement theory is introduced in the last chapter and only 19 pages before the book ends. As such, the book reads well and flows naturally and continuously like the springs themselves, which also seem to have influenced the author's way of writing.

The Silver Glen spring, one of the largest in Florida, features heavily in the narrative, and the 8000-years history of the organisation and use of its surrounding landscape is discussed, including the development of huge shell mounds, gatherings for mortuary rites and communal integration. Chapter 4, ‘Sacred spring’, builds up an argument that Silver Glen was potentially a sacred spring, due in part to the exceptionally clear water, as well as because of the human uses and attachments to the place, which is also central to O'Donoughue's broader conclusions about conservation practices. While it is of course difficult to say anything with certainty about the sacredness of water many thousands of years ago, the argument is convincing. In this chapter I would, however, have preferred a more detailed ethnography of springs in general, and in particular the springs in Florida. Only a few pages (pp. 100–105) are devoted to the ethnography of sacred springs, and the discussion is quite general, only briefly referring to indigenous perceptions. This somehow creates a gap in the narrative between the ancient archaeological past and the modern uses of today, and the conclusions and the forward-looking perspectives would have been even stronger if this recent past was further elaborated.

In any event, in the last chapter, ‘Springs eternal’, O'Donoughue concludes with a novel approach regarding the future conservation of springs, where archaeology has a central role. Throughout the book he has shown that there is no such thing as a pristine spring; they are always used and modified, and herein also lies a solution. By actively engaging with the springs in the present, they might be then conserved, such that the “argument is not that springs will cease to exist without human intervention—although their water quality and flow may be impaired—but rather that they cannot continue to exist in the ways that people want them to without care” (p. 197). Furthermore, “Continued recreation, then, is a key to mobilizing public sentiment for springs’ protection and conservation. Through recreational gathering at springs, people can continue to develop relationships with these places that are necessary for their ongoing cultural valuation” (p. 199).

Thus, throughout the book, O'Donoughue balances many levels of analyses: geological, hydrological, archaeological, historical and contemporary parameters are woven together, and by including natural features in general, and springs in particular, the past becomes even more social and cultural. These archaeological narratives may have important future roles in creating new interpretations and understanding, resulting in further means of conservation. As such, O'Donoughue has opened an interesting and new avenue for other archaeological studies.