Archaeological Investigations at the Christopher Columbus Italian Society Property and Columbus Park: 41BX1968, the Possible First Site of Mission San Antonio de Valero

Abstract

In May of 2013, the Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas at San Antonio was contracted by the San Antonio Conservation Society (SACS) to explore the Spanish Colonial archaeological deposits and a feature that were recently identified in a lot owned by the Christopher Columbus Italian Society and next to the San Francesco di Paola Church in north-central San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Based on a number of historical descriptions, the deposits were thought to possibly be associated with the first location of Mission San Antonio de Valero that was established in 1718. Thirty-one shovel tests were excavated in Columbus Park and on property owned by the Christopher Columbus Italian Society near the church. In addition, three test units were excavated at a location downhill from the church on property owned by the Christopher Columbus Italian Society. The archaeological investigations were conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6534. Steve Tomka served as the Original Principal Investigator, and Kristi Miller Nichols served as Project Archaeologist. The Permit is currently held by Dr. Raymond Mauldin. Surface collection in the open field and in the vicinity of the church produced a small quantity of Spanish Colonial Period material, including wrought iron nails, a majolica ceramic fragment, a trade bead, and melted lead. Shovel tests revealed that the upper 60 cm of soil in the park contains mostly modern and some early twentieth-century materials. Investigations found no evidence of Mission San Antonio de Valero within Columbus Park. Test unit excavations in the Christopher Columbus Italian Society’s property produced fragments of majolica ceramics affiliated with the Spanish Colonial Period and lead-glazed Galera wares of probable Colonial age. While a large proportion of the cultural materials recovered from surface and the shovel tests does consist of nineteenthand twentieth-century materials, the remainder includes a variety of Spanish Colonial artifacts such as tin- and lead-glazed ceramics, bone-tempered sherds, a trade bead, and fragments of wrought iron nails. It is likely that the materials have been re-deposited from the upper portion of the landform where the church and hall had been erected in the late 1920s. In addition, the western portion of the tract had been graded prior to the construction of a paved parking lot, and this further disturbed any buried cultural deposits. The cultural material that is affiliated with the Spanish Colonial Period is overwhelmed by artifacts dated to later periods. This is somewhat