Mission Rosario : archeological investigations, 1974 / by Kathleen Gilmore ; with appendix by Jay C. Blaine ... [et. al.]
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Date
2014-09-16Author
Texas. Historic Sites and Restoration Branch.
Gilmore, Kathleen.
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The following is the final report of the results of
three archeological field seasons, 24 weeks, at Mission
Rosario State Park, Goliad County, Texas. A report entitled
"Mission Rosario, Archeological Investigations 1973" (Gilmore
1974) has been published by Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department. That report contains a description of the 1973
field research and the history of the site from the date
of founding in 1754 through the 1973 field season.
The first field season from May 8 to July 3, 1973
was a pilot season to determine problems which might be
encountered from previous excavations, disturbances, and
collections made at the site since its abandonment in 1807.
Although extensive excavations were made in 1940-41 few
records and notes were available, and to date only a few
work order forms have been found in the National Park Service
Archives. The apparent loss of these records and notes
points out so clearly the importance of systematic record
keeping and the necessity of proper storage of those records.
Since an archeological site is definitely a nonrenewable
resource and information is destroyed when it is excavated,
the lack of records and inadequate description and analysis
of excavations not only nulifies the information in the
ground, but also makes it impossible to conceptualize what
had been there.
The 1974 excavations from March 18 to May 5 and from
October 15 to December 11 were based on an overall research
design which was oriented toward the development of the
park as a resource for the interpretation of Spanish colonial
settlements.