Excavations and Systematic Metal Detecting at Mission San Francisco de Potano: Results of the 2024 Field Season

Summary

Mission San Francisco de Potano was founded by the Franciscan Fray Martín Prieto in 1606 in the principal town of the Potano-Timucua in north Florida. The mission became the headquarters of the Spanish missions to the Western Timucua and the base for missionization of the Apalachee region to the west. In 2024 the Florida Museum of Natural History conducted a field school at the site which included a systematic site-wide metal detector survey along with test excavations at targeted loci believed to represent areas of Spanish architecture and activities and in the surrounding Native American village area. Artifacts recovered in the metal detecting survey include wrought iron nails and spikes, as well as more unusual finds such as bell fragments, religious medallions, cut copper-alloy sheeting, and a brass tinkler. Excavations revealed a large Native American pit feature, multiple post holes, and potential evidence of two Spanish structures at the site.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow