Site of first multi-year European settlement in the U.S. identified by University of West Florida archaeology program.
The University of West Florida archaeology program recently identified the archaeological site of the Luna settlement – the first multi-year European settlement in the United States – in a developed neighborhood in Pensacola. The artifacts discovered are evidence of the Spanish settlement by Tristán de Luna y Arellano from 1559 to 1561, the earliest multi-year European colonial settlement ever archaeologically identified in the United States.
UWF archaeologists recovered numerous sherds of broken 16th century Spanish ceramics found undisturbed beneath the ground surface. The artifacts were linked to the Spanish expedition led by Luna, who brought 1,500 soldiers, colonists, slaves and Aztec Indians in 11 ships from Veracruz, Mexico, to Pensacola to begin the Spanish colonization of the northern Gulf Coast in 1559. The Luna settlement inhabited Pensacola from 1559 to 1561, which predates the Spanish settlement in St. Augustine, Florida, by six years, and the English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, by 48 years.
The UWF archaeology program includes a select group of 13 full-time professional archaeologists, nine support staff and numerous graduate students. The program has a rich history of significant instruction, research and public outreach in the Pensacola region.
Sherds of Columbia Plain majolica found at the Luna settlement, with scale.
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Glass trade beads found at the Luna settlement, including five seven-layer faceted chevron beads, and one tubular Nueva Cadiz Twisted bead, with scale.
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Sherds of incised, punctated and plain Native American pottery found at the Luna settlement.
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Assorted metal artifacts found at the Luna settlement, including two decorative sheet copper rosettes, rolled lead line weights, a fragment of an engraved copper bell, and a rolled copper aglet, or lacing tip.
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Assorted pottery sherds originally found on the surface of the Luna settlement, including Spanish olive jar, lead glazed coarse earthenware, majolica, incised and plan Native American pottery.
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Hand holding a neck sherd of early style Spanish olive jar he originally spotted on the surface of the site, diagnostic to the 16th century.
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Sherds of Spanish lead glazed coarse earthenware found at the Luna settlement.
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Assorted wrought iron nails found at the Luna settlement.
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Sherds of Columbia Plain majolica found at the Luna settlement, with scale.
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Glass trade beads found at the Luna settlement, including five seven-layer faceted chevron beads, and one tubular Nueva Cadiz Twisted bead, with scale.
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Sherds of incised, punctated and plain Native American pottery found at the Luna settlement.
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Assorted metal artifacts found at the Luna settlement, including two decorative sheet copper rosettes, rolled lead line weights, a fragment of an engraved copper bell, and a rolled copper aglet, or lacing tip.
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Assorted pottery sherds originally found on the surface of the Luna settlement, including Spanish olive jar, lead glazed coarse earthenware, majolica, incised and plan Native American pottery.
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Hand holding a neck sherd of early style Spanish olive jar he originally spotted on the surface of the site, diagnostic to the 16th century.
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Sherds of Spanish lead glazed coarse earthenware found at the Luna settlement.
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Assorted wrought iron nails found at the Luna settlement.
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Sherds of Columbia Plain majolica found at the Luna settlement, with scale.
6 / 8
Glass trade beads found at the Luna settlement, including five seven-layer faceted chevron beads, and one tubular Nueva Cadiz Twisted bead, with scale.
7 / 8
Sherds of incised, punctated and plain Native American pottery found at the Luna settlement.
8 / 8
Assorted metal artifacts found at the Luna settlement, including two decorative sheet copper rosettes, rolled lead line weights, a fragment of an engraved copper bell, and a rolled copper aglet, or lacing tip.
1 / 8
Assorted pottery sherds originally found on the surface of the Luna settlement, including Spanish olive jar, lead glazed coarse earthenware, majolica, incised and plan Native American pottery.
2 / 8
Hand holding a neck sherd of early style Spanish olive jar he originally spotted on the surface of the site, diagnostic to the 16th century.
3 / 8
Sherds of Spanish lead glazed coarse earthenware found at the Luna settlement.
4 / 8
Assorted wrought iron nails found at the Luna settlement.
5 / 8
Sherds of Columbia Plain majolica found at the Luna settlement, with scale.
6 / 8
Glass trade beads found at the Luna settlement, including five seven-layer faceted chevron beads, and one tubular Nueva Cadiz Twisted bead, with scale.
7 / 8
Sherds of incised, punctated and plain Native American pottery found at the Luna settlement.
8 / 8
Assorted metal artifacts found at the Luna settlement, including two decorative sheet copper rosettes, rolled lead line weights, a fragment of an engraved copper bell, and a rolled copper aglet, or lacing tip.
1 / 8
Assorted pottery sherds originally found on the surface of the Luna settlement, including Spanish olive jar, lead glazed coarse earthenware, majolica, incised and plan Native American pottery.
2 / 8
Hand holding a neck sherd of early style Spanish olive jar he originally spotted on the surface of the site, diagnostic to the 16th century.
3 / 8
Sherds of Spanish lead glazed coarse earthenware found at the Luna settlement.
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Assorted wrought iron nails found at the Luna settlement.
European Colonization in the United States
Abbreviated Chronology of European Colonization in the Southeastern U.S.
1492: Christopher Columbus
1513: Juan Ponce de León
1521: Juan Ponce de León
1526: Lúcas Vázquez de Ayllón (San Miguel de Gualdape)
1528: Pánfilo de Narváez
1539-1543: Hernando de Soto
1549: Luís Cancer
1559-1561: The Tristán de Luna y Arellano expedition establishes a colonial settlement at Pensacola Bay, originally in an effort to push inland to Coosa and finally to Santa Elena on the South Carolina Coast. The destruction of the fleet by a hurricane dooms the expedition, which finally withdraws two years later.
1562-1565: Jean Ribault (Charlesfort)/René de Laudonnière (Fort Caroline)
1565: Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (St. Augustine)
1585-1587: Walter Raleigh (Roanoke)
1607: Virginia Company (Jamestown)
About UWF
Founded in 1963, the University of West Florida is a vibrant, distinctive institute of higher learning with undergraduate, graduate and targeted research programs.
The Division of Anthropology and Archaeology includes the disciplines of anthropology, archaeology, and sociology. The Division consists of four integrated units:
