UWF students explore the Luna settlement and the Emanuel Point III shipwreck

"One of the benefits of our archaeology program is that our students acquire practical experience by engaging in survey, excavation, and field recording during the summer," Bratten said. "This is complemented by subsequent classes in the fall and spring, where they have the opportunity to enroll in artifact conservation and analysis courses. These comprehensive experiences equip students with valuable research topics for graduate studies or specialized training that can lead to employment opportunities."

With the help of a grant through the Florida Department of State, recent field schools have primarily focused on the archaeological sites of the Luna settlement and the Emanuel Point III shipwreck. The Luna settlement and its associated shipwrecks are of unparalleled significance in the history of Florida. They represent both the settlement and the fleet that first brought Spanish colonists to the Southeast in 1559. The Luna settlement was disturbed by roads, houses and utilities in the 20th century, but intact underground deposits remain undisturbed, and still provide archaeological evidence about this internationally significant site. During the 1559 colonization attempt led by Tristán de Luna y Arellano on behalf of Spain, a major hurricane destroyed seven of 10 settlement fleet ships at anchor. Of the remaining ships, six were lost in Pensacola Bay and archaeologists have discovered three since 1992. The UWF Archaeology Institute and the Department of Anthropology have been stewarding these sites since their discovery. Over the summer, near the shipwreck sites, students were able to dive and recover artifacts such as nine Spanish "ladrillo" bricks, ship fasteners, ship timbers, pottery, food remains, and personal items that haven't seen the light of day in 465 years.

"Working with the Institute has provided me the opportunity to learn about archaeological research design, excavating in a submerged setting, and geophysical survey technology," said Emma Graumlich, UWF graduate student and field director in training for the Archaeology Institute. "The work has really allowed me to apply what I have learned in my Historical Archaeology graduate program in terms of archaeological practice and theory. Aside from the archaeological experience, I have also developed skills in student leadership, project planning, and record-keeping."

Analysis of the ship's artifacts combined with a study of the historical documents associated with the 1559 Spanish colonization will attempt to answer questions about 16th-century lifeways, including material culture, diet, ethnicity, and gender of the sailors and colonists. Artifacts will be identified, counted, and relevant data entered into a database. A portion of the grant funds several types of artifact analysis, including Carbon-14 dating, that help us understand where certain artifacts were being made and when. All conservation treatments will be performed in the UWF conservation laboratory under the supervision of Bratten. During the fall semester, students are working in the conservation laboratory and archaeological laboratory to learn more about the artifacts.

The Archaeology Institute at UWF is an educational, research and service facility concerned with the prehistoric and historic archaeological resources of the northwest Florida region. Archaeological investigations are conducted in both terrestrial and underwater settings.

For more information on UWF's Anthropology and Archaeology, visit uwf.edu/archaeology.

For more information about the Luna Expedition, visit uwf.edu/luna.