Archaeological testing at Goliad State Park, Goliad County, Texas

In December 1996, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio entered into a contract with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to conduct archaeological investigations at Mission Espiritu Santo in Goliad State Park. On December 17, 1996, a seven-member field crew from CAR excavated 32 shovel tests along the proposed trench for replacement of existing park water and electrical lines between the mission compound and the camping area. Artifacts recovered from the shovel tests include Spanish colonial ceramics, glass, metal, stone tools and debitage, and a large quantity of animal bone. Most of the artifacts were recovered from the shovel test pits near the mission wall. Any new trenching in this area would disturb possible intact Colonial deposits. Very few artifacts were recovered from the remainder of the proposed trench line.