Archaeologists find artifacts (3700 B.C. to 600 A.D.)

During a three-month dig at Miraflores Park, east of Brackenridge Park, in San Antonio, Texas, a team of archaeologists has discovered artifacts that date from 3700 B.C. to 600 A.D. The dig was conducted by the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research (CAR).

CAR researchers were hired by the San Antonio design firm Rehler Vaughn and Koone to conduct an archaeological site inspection before construction of a pedestrian bridge over the San Antonio River from Brackenridge Park.

“We found a lot of Early Archaic materials from approximately 3500 B.C., which are of significant interest, including two Guadalupe tools that were used either for woodworking or the defleshing of hunted game,” said Jon Dowling, CAR project archaeologist.

“It was a really small area that we expected would be open and shut quickly, but it turned out to be a treasure chest of archaeology,” he added.

According to Dowling, the artifacts will be curated and analyzed so CAR researchers can quantify and synthesize the data for better comprehension and understanding.

The discovered artifacts include an Ensor projectile point (spear point) from the Transitional Archaic period (200 B.C.-600 A.D.), Tortugas projectile point (spear point) from the Middle Archaic period or earlier, Early Triangular projectile point (spear point) from the Early Archaic period (3700-3600 B.C.), and remnants/segment of an historic relief dam used to stop flow into the old San Antonio Water Works Raceway (dam built circa 1877 or 1878.)