Hunters and Gatherers of the Rio Grande Plain and the Lower Coast of Texas

This paper summarizes the prehistoric cultural manifestations found on the Rio Grande Plain of Texas. The primary goal in this paper is to briefly outline the major prehistoric cultural traditions on the Rio Grande Plain. These traditions represent ecological adaptive responses made by the prehistoric inhabitants, and are reflected in the archaeology and ethnology of the area

Early Human Occupations in South Central and Southwestern Texas: Preliminary Papers on the Baker Cave and St. Mary\u27s Hall Sites

During July, 1976, a field team from The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted limited excavations at Baker Cave in Val Verde County, southwestern Texas. The site is located on Phillip\u27s Canyon within the Devil\u27s River drainage. The work was funded by the Center for Field Research, the Texas Archaeological Foundation, and the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research. During. June and July 1977, The University of Texas at San Antonio Archaeological Field Course conducted excavations at the St. Mary\u27s Hall site (41 BX 229), in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The site was officially recorded in 1973. However, prior to that time, during 1972, a house was built on the southern portion of the site, an area lying outside the boundaries of the St. Mary\u27s Hall property (a private girls\u27 school). During the clearing and construction phase, extensive pothunting destroyed the southern portion of the site. Fortunately, the collection (including numerous Golondrina, Angostura and Plainview points) was kept intact and has since been analyzed. Because of the total destruction of the southern section of the site, the then newly-formed Southern Texas Archaeological Association (STAA) decided to undertake test excavations to learn something about the St. Mary\u27s Hall sector

Papers on Paleo-Indian Archaeology in Texas: I

This third number in the Center\u27s Special Report series contains two papers dealing with Paleo-Indian archaeology in Texas. Two additional papers dealing with this topic have recently been submitted. One involves a detailed review of the Plainview-Golondrina typological problem (authored by Thomas C. Kelly), and a second (written by Jules A. Jaquier), describing the bifacial implements from the Johnston-Heller site (41VT15)

Additional Archaeological Survey In The Dry Comal Watershed, Comal County, South Central Texas

In April, 1975, an intensive archaeological survey was carried out in the area proposed for the construction of Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 1, located on the West Fork of Dry Comal Creek, in Comal County, south central Texas (see Fig. 1). The survey was conducted in terms of an agreement (1339-TX-SCS-75) between the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service and the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio. An initial reconnaissance of the area was conducted by Center personnel in November, 1974 and six archaeological sites were located (Hester, Bass and Kelly 1975). However, it was recognized that a more thorough survey would be required in order to fully appraise the archaeological resources at the locality. Therefore, an intensive survey was recommended in the published report of the 1974 investigations (Hester, Bass and Kelly 1975: 22-23). The reader is referred to Hester, Bass and Kelly (1975) for a discussion of previous archaeological research in Comal County. A description of the Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 1 vicinity is also provided in that report. The dam site, and the sediment, flood, and detention pools, will encompass an area of approximately 276 acres (112 hectares)

Phase II Archaeological Investigations along the Proposed Route of the Del Norte Pipeline

In late March 1978, Tennessee Gas Pipeline (Houston) authorized the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, to carry out Phase II investigations along the proposed route of the Del Norte pipeline, southern Texas. The Center had conducted an initial historical and archaeological assessment of the pipeline route in 1977 and had recommended subsequent field work (Phase II) in order to better evaluate some of the findings made at that time. (see Hester 1979). The proposed pipeline route studied by the Center extends from a point at the Rio Grande near McAllen to Station 9, south of Victoria. A research plan for Phase II historical and archaeological investigations along this route was submitted to Tennessee Gas Pipeline by the Center

Archaeological Investigations at Sites in the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed, Central Texas

In August, 1976, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, conducted an intensive archaeological survey of the proposed Floodwater Retarding Structure No.1 area, in the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed, Kendall County, Texas. The work was carried out under the terms of a contract (135-TX-SCS-76) with the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service. An initial survey of this area had been conducted in February, 1975; two historic and 17 prehistoric archaeological sites were documented at that time (Bass and Hester 1975). The intensive survey had three major objectives: (1) to conduct additional reconnaissance, thus insuring that all possible sites had been identified in the project area; (2) to better evaluate certain of the previously identified archaeological resources in terms of their possible nomination to the National Register of Historic Places; and (3) to carry out intensive survey and test excavations at a major prehistoric site, 41 KE 49, and to ascertain if it was worthy of nomination to the National Register of Historic Places

An Archaeological Assessment of Boerne City Park, Kendall County, Texas

As part of its planning for development of Boerne City Park, the Advisory Board of the Boerne Parks and Recreation Department authorized an archaeological assessment of the park area in May, 1976. The assessment was carried out by the Center for Archaeological Research at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and was supervised by the authors. We wish to thank Dr. Dewey D. Davis, Chairman, Park Advisory Board, for his assistance during this project

Archaeological Investigations at sites near Natalia, Medina County, Texas

In January, 1976, Hayden Whitsett, archaeologist for the Texas Water Quality Board, carried out an initial archaeological reconnaissance of areas to be affected by the construction of new sewage treatment plant and lines in Natalia, Texas (Medina County WCID #3; Whitsett 1976). As a result of Whitsett\u27s survey, five archaeological sites (41 ME 18-ME 22) were documented, and Whitsett suggested (ibid: 1) that four of these might be eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Sites. Subsequent to his reconnaissance, Whitsett contacted the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, regarding a Step 2 archaeological testing program at the four sites thought to be of possible National Register quality. An agreement to conduct the needed testing was reached between the Center and the firm of Groves, Fernandez, Barry, Telford and Associates, Inc., the authorized representatives of the Medina County Water Control and Improvement District., A plan of study outlining the proposed testing program of the Center for Archaeological Research was filed with both the Texas Water Quality Board and the Texas Historical Commission

Archaeological Investigations at Four Sites in the Dry Comal Watershed Comal County, South Central Texas

In September, 1975, personnel of The University of Texas at San Antonio, Center for Archaeological Research, conducted an intensive archaeological survey of certain prehistoric sites in the vicinity of Floodwater Retarding Structure No.1, Dry Comal Creek, Comal County, Texas. These investigations were carried out at the request of the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service (purchase order 207-Tx-SCS-76). The area incorporated by Floodwater Retarding Structure No. 1 is on the West Fork of Dry Comal Creek and had been the scene of two earlier archaeological surveys, in November, 1974 (Hester, Bass and Kelly 1975), and in April, 1975 (Kelly and Hester 1975). Both surveys had produced data on a series of archaeological sites (a total of 25 sites was documented; Fig. 1) and in the latter survey (Kelly and Hester 1975), specific recommendations had been made regarding some of the archaeological resources in the area. It was as a result of these recommendations that the present survey was implemented

Papers of the Archaeology of the Texas Coast

The papers published in this volume represent contributions from professional archaeologists, avocational archaeologists, and students. Many aspects of coastal archaeology are unknown, and there is a great need for data-oriented papers, site reports, reviews of specific aboriginal technologies, and for other papers dealing with certain facets of the prehistoric and historic archaeology of the coastal zone