Native Americans played an important role in the success or failure of early Spanish frontier settlements in the territory known as La Florida. Historical documents and Native American ceramics are examined to determine the identity of Indian groups present between 1698 and 1722 at the Spanish Presidio of Santa MarÃa de Galve and Fort San Carlos de Austria. In addition, ceramics recovered from the archaeological site during the 1995 and 1996 field seasons are used to explore cultural continuity and change between the late Pre-Columbian groups and early historic Indian populations in the Pensacola Bay area. A brief comparison of the ceramic assemblage from Santa MarÃa is made with contemporary European and Native American sites in the region.
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