The Contents and Distribution of Middens at Mission Concepción, San Antonio, TX

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Plus Ultra: An examination of current research in Spanish Colonial/Iberian Underwater and Terrestrial Archaeology in the Western Hemisphere." , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

This paper presents the results of recent archaeological testing and summarizes the findings of several decades of CRM excavations at the Franciscan Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, which was re-located to San Antonio in 1731 from its original site in East Texas. Faunal, ceramic, and lithic assemblages are examined in order to shed light on the early history of the site, which may have been occupied by other missions prior to Concepción. Mission Concepción thrived as part of the Alamo chain of missions, operating a successful ranch and series of acquia-watered farm fields, and hosting 150-200 indigenous converts until the process of secularization began in the 1780s. The Church is still maintained by an active Catholic congregation, and the mission grounds are administered by the National Park Service as a part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Plus Ultra: An examination of current research in Spanish Colonial/Iberian Underwater and Terrestrial Archaeology in the Western Hemisphere.

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 345