"A major compendium of the latest effort of a truly blue-ribbon group of scholars. . . . The volume is certain to be a classic among scholars of archaeology, history, and geography, not only in Florida and the Southeast, but among the large numbers involved in Spanish colonial research elsewhere."--Robert L. Hoover, California Polytechnic State University

"Continues brilliantly the pattern of excellence established by . . . pioneer mission scholars, [with] much to appeal to the specialist as well as the layman. . . . a good deal of simple, direct, and very interesting writing."--Fred Lamar Pearson, Jr., Valdosta State College


This multidisciplinary volume brings together the latest findings of most of the scholars working in southeastern mission studies today, including much information never before published or narrowly circulated. Aimed at a broad audience, it reports the direct results of field research on mission sites. The authors are grappling with the effects of missionization through archaeology, history, bioarchaeology, zooarchaeology, and ethnobotany in order to understand both native and Spanish colonial inhabitants.

Contents
The Archaeology of Mission Santa Catalina de Guale: Our First Fifteen Years, by David Hurst Thomas

Architecture of the Missions Santa Maria and Santa Catalina de Amelia, by Rebecca Saunders

The Archaeology of the Convento de San Francisco, by Kathleen Hoffman

St. Augustine and the Mission Frontier, by Kathleen Deagan

The Mayaca and Jororo and Missions to Them, by John H. Hann

Mission Santa Fe de Toloca, by Kenneth Johnson

Archaeology of Fig Springs Mission, Ichetucknee Springs State Park, by Brent R. Weisman

Spanish-Indian Interaction on the Florida Missions: The Archaeology of Baptizing Spring, by L. Jill Loucks

Excavations in the Fig Springs Mission Burial Area, by Lisa M. Hoshower and Jerald T. Milanich

Archaeological Investigations at Mission Patale, 1984-1991, by Rochelle A. Marrinan

Hispanic Life on the Seventeenth-Century Florida Frontier, by Bonnie G. McEwan

On the Frontier of Contact: Mission Bioarchaeology in La Florida, by Clark Spencer Larsen

Plant Production and Procurement in Apalachee Province, by C. Margaret Scarry

Evidence for Animal Use at the Missions of Spanish Florida, by Elizabeth J. Reitz

Beads and Pendants from San Luis de Talimali: Inferences from Varying Contexts, by Jeffrey M. Mitchem

A Distributional and Technological Study of Apalachee Colono-Ware from San Luis de Talimali, by Richard Vernon and Ann S. Cordell



Bonnie G. McEwan is the director of archaeology at San Luis Archaeological and Historic Site in Tallahassee.

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"The Spanish Missions of La Florida deserves a place on the shelf of anyone with a serious interest in American Indians, in Spanish American frontiers, or in the once-powerful institution of the mission, through which Christianity was joined to geopolitics."
--American Indian Quarterly

"an excellent compilation of work accomplished by archaeologists and historians on mission sites during the last two decades, which have been the most activity (sic) period of investigations to date."
--North American Archaeologist

"The Spanish Missions of La Florida is an important volume for those interested in the Spanish colonization of the southeastern United States. Comprised of several studies of mission period sites, and the biological and cultural impact of the Spanish interaction with native populations, it contains discussions of the major research of the past two decades on the missionization of La Florida. This book is pertinent for anyone interested in Spanish missions or the implications of culture contact."
--Gulf Coast Historical Review

"indispensable for a knowledge of the first 200 years of Catholic evangelization in the Southeast."
--Catholic Historical Review

"I strongly recommend this publication for established scholars and students alike. I especially recommend it for mission archaeologists working in the West. It contains key points from the research, and it is a good source of data. This book should be in the library of every archaeologist, regardless of specialty." -- Historical Archaeology
--Historical Archaeology

"If you have ever wondered about the Indian tribes who lived in the American Southeast at the time of European settlement, this book is for you." - American Archaeology
--American Archaeology