Artifacts of exploration: archaeological evidence from Florida

The Florida Anthropologist, 1988

The Florida Anthropologist, 1989

1987

1986

The 8MR03538 White Ranch / De Soto site is one of the most thoroughly vetted and scientifically dated archaeological sites in recent history. It has been confirmed as a contact site of the 1539 entrada by conquistador Hernando de Soto and his army. This site identified to have multiple occupations was the location of one of Hernando de Soto’s early camps in the sixteenth century and was in later use during the seventeenth century Spanish mission and ranching period. This important First Spanish Cultural Period site is located between Ocala and Gainesville, Florida on the wetlands of Orange Lake. Based on historical documentation, the site would be located east of the Aucilla River within the Timucuan Province. This investigation contains a systemic analysis of the artifacts from site 8MR03538 recovered between 2005 and 2015 with additional X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (pXFR) of material artifacts compared to current museum databases for date range and confirmed elemental composition consistent with western European artifacts manufactured in the late 15th to early 16th centuries. Bioarchaeological studies of the animal remains reveal the one-sigma calibrated calendrical date range is AD 1529 ± 11 years: the 95% confidence level age range is AD 1518–1540. The date calibrated from the 2 sigma 95.4% confidence interval centered at the year 1540. Detailed field notes, ground truth studies performed with penetrating radar, magnetic detection and geographic information systems were used to record and analyze the excavation site and its geospatial relationships. This analysis reconfirms at the highest threshold the conclusions and documentation confirming that site 8MR03538 is where Hernando de Soto came to the area of Potano on August 12th 1539. His army began camping just to the south of this location from August 11th to August 22nd and then marched north through Potano to join him on the entrada at Aguacaleyquen. The ceramic, coin and material cultural artifact assemblages from 8MR03538 strongly prove the visitation by De Soto and the later location for the sixteenth century mission visita known as Apula. The original mission constructed at the 8MR03538 site was burned by Spanish soldiers in 1584 and in 1601 the Potano chiefdom received permission to relocate the town of Potano closer to Orange Lake. In 1608 a new Franciscan mission San Buenaventura de Potano was built in the relocated town. The 8MR03538 site was reoccupied during the seventeenth century Spanish ranching period.

Please note this is a peer reviewed brief of a lengthy work in progress and the summary information contained herein should be viewed as such. The analysis section alone encompasses some two hundred pages of detailed supporting evidence as well hundreds of digital images. Some glass bead artifacts are very small and high magnification imagery with color saturation was used to count the layers that are required to type this material culture. Examples of these difficult to obtain images are included with the brief. This is an active research project with sensitive data withheld to protect the archaeological resource. Some metadata is confidential and will remain embargoed.

"Indians, Colonists, and Slaves: Essays in Memory of Charles H. Fairbanks", edited by Kenneth W. Johnson, Jonathan M. Leader, and Robert C. Wilson. Florida Journal of Anthropology Special Publication No. 4, 1985. FASA, Department of Anthropology, U. of Florida, Gainesville., 1985

Southeastern Archaeology, 1996

The historical site identified by the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Archaeological Research as Smithsonian Trinomial 8AAMR03538 was the location of one of Hernando de Soto's early camps during the 1539 entrada and was in later use during the sixteen and seventeenth century Spanish mission and ranching periods. This previously unknown First Spanish Cultural Period site named the White Ranch / De Soto site is located between Ocala and Gainesville, Florida on the wetlands associated with Orange Lake. Archaeological and documentary evidence confirms that this First Spanish mission period structure was a mission visita (mission without a resident priest) known as Apula and was understood to have been established in the late sixteenth century in the town of Potano known to have been visited by Hernando de Soto in 1539. The artifact assemblage from the mission period structure brings the conclusion that 8AAMR03538 was also a location of religious activities associated with the Franciscan mission of San Buenaventura de Potano, that was relocated a short distance along the lake shore. This investigation contains a systemic analysis of the artifacts from the White Ranch / De Soto site 8AAMR03538 recovered between 2005 and 2013. The goal of this study and results are to obtain information about the Aboriginal inhabitants and the following European occupations. Detailed field notes, ground truth studies performed with penetrating radar, magnetic detection and geographic information systems were used to record and analyze the excavation site and its geospatial relationships. This new information offers significant evidence and documentation confirming that the site is where Hernando de Soto came to the area of Potano on August 12 th 1539. His army began camping just to the south of this location from August 11 th to August 22 nd and then marched north through Potano to join him on the entrada at Aguacaleyquen. The ceramic and coin assemblages from the site strongly prove the visitation by De Soto and the later location for a Franciscan visita and ranch.

Historical Archaeology, 2001