Where was the de Luna settlement in Florida?
Archaeologists from the University of West Florida announced on Thursday the discovery of one of the most significant historical sites in the nation: the archaeological site of the de Luna settlement, hidden just beneath the surface in the city’s East Pensacola Heights neighborhood.
What happened to John de Luna’s colonists?
Although the colonists persevered for two years in difficult circumstances, de Luna was forced to abandon his attempted settlement in 1561. The colonists were dispersed to Mexico, Cuba, and Spain. Today, de Luna’s misfortune is providing amazing research opportunities for professional archaeologists and students at the University of West Florida.
Was Tristan de Luna found in Pensacola?
“Our archaeological team has discovered and can support the statement that the land settlement site of Tristan de Luna has been located within the city limits of Pensacola, Florida,” said Dr. Judy Bense, the university’s current president and founder of its archaeology program. “And we are telling the world today.”
How did Appleyard determine the location of de Luna’s landing?
Appleyard carefully studied all of the available documentation of de Luna’s expedition, and determined the correct location of de Luna’s landing site. Two other popular theories placing the settlement attempt at different locations were shown to be incorrect by the archaeological discoveries in Pensacola Bay.
What was found in Luna site?
Small personal items they uncovered included a copper lacing aglet, lead fishing line weight, spike fragments, a wrought iron nail and five Indian trade beads from Venice. The artifacts left no doubt in their minds that Garner found where Luna and about 1,500 other people settled in 1559 in Pensacola.
Why was the discovery of the Luna site an important?
The discoveries made at the site of the Luna settlement signify that the two shipwrecks previously discovered in Pensacola Bay were wrecked at the anchorage for the entire Luna fleet.
What artifacts did Tom Garner find in the Pensacola Bay Area?
Tom Garner, a local historian, was in the area when he noticed ground disturbed on the private lot. Shards of pottery and artifacts that were viewable from the street piqued his curiosity. Garner spotted a shard of pottery that he identified as the rim of an olive jar dating to the mid-16th century.
Where did Don Tristan de Luna explore?
Pensacola, FloridaThe men, women, and children aboard the ships were led by Spanish conquistador Don Tristan de Luna. De Luna's plan was to establish the first permanent European colony in North America. He called the settlement site Ochuse, La Florida. We call it Pensacola, Florida.
What did Tristan de Luna discover?
Luna Settlement 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.
Is Pensacola the oldest city in the US?
Reeves's claim that Pensacola is America's oldest city is based on a discovery by researchers at the University of West Florida in Pensacola who say they proved Spanish Explorer Tristan de Luna established his Spanish colony of Pensacola in 1559, six years before St.
Why is Pensacola the first settlement?
Researchers at the University of West Florida say they've proved Spanish Explorer, Tristan de Luna established his Spanish colony of Pensacola in August of 1559. That's six years before St. Augustine, which claims it's the oldest because it's been continuously occupied.
What was America's first settlement?
The invasion of the North American continent and its peoples began with the Spanish in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida, then British in 1587 when the Plymouth Company established a settlement that they dubbed Roanoke in present-day Virginia.
What did Tristan de Luna do in Florida?
A Spanish Conquistador of the 16th century, Tristan de Luna y Arellano served with Francisco Vasquez de Coronado on his expedition to the Seven Cities of Cíbola and established Pensacola, Florida, one of the earliest European settlements within the present-day United States.
Where does the last name De Luna come from?
Recorded in the spellings of De Luna, Luna, and Luno, this is an Italian and Spanish surname, but of Roman (Latin) origins. It derives from the ancient word 'lumina' meaning 'light', and describes either a person who came from a place called 'Luna' or one who lived in a house with an open courtyard.
When did De Luna land in Pensacola?
Aug. 14, 1559Spanish explorer Don Tristan de Luna landed in Pensacola 460 years ago today. On Aug. 14, 1559, the 13 vessels led by Adm. Don Tristan de Luna made anchor at Pensacola (or Ochuse), preparing for the placement of what would have been the first European settlement in North America.
When was the Luna settlement abandoned?
After the 1559 hurricane, life was very difficult for the Luna colonists. The settlement was abandoned in 1561.
When was the fingerprint left in a brick?
Bratten also points out the clear impression of a fingerprint left in a brick more than 450 years ago. The brick was aboard one of Luna’s sunken ships.
Why was De Luna replaced?
The expedition was an overall failure, and de Luna was quickly replaced due to the poor leadership over his men. The settement at modern-day Pensacola was only occupied for a year before being abandoned - the area would not be populated again by the Spanish until 1698.
Where did the stranded explorers go?
The stranded explorers made their way inland up the Alabama River to the known village of Nanipacana, which they found deserted. Naming the town Santa Cruz de Nanipacana, they encamped until the resupply ship arrived. Lack of food at Nanipacana and the quick exhaustion of the resupply forced de Luna to send some of his men up the Alabama River to the Coosa River and up to the Coosa chiefdom, passing just south of where Canyon Mouth Park is today at Little River Canyon National Preserve.
Where is the Luna settlement?
AncientPages.com - Archaeologists of the University of West Florida 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.
What did the discoveries at the Luna settlement signify?
The discoveries made at the site of the Luna settlement signify that the two shipwrecks previously discovered in Pensacola Bay were wrecked at the anchorage for the entire Luna fleet.
How long did the Luna colony last?
After two years, the remnants of the colony were rescued by Spanish ships and returned to Mexico. 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.
When was the Spanish settlement discovered?
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.
Who brought the artifacts to Pensacola?
The artifacts were linked to the Spanish expedition led by Tristán de Luna y Arellano, 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. One month after they arrived, the colony was struck by a hurricane, sinking many of their ships and devastating their food supplies.
Where did the Spanish settle in Florida?
The winter encampment of Hernando de Soto’ s Spanish exploratory expedition to Tallahassee, Florida, from 1539 to 1540, is the only earlier European habitation site positively identified by archaeologists in the southeastern U.S. Two earlier Spanish colonial settlements have yet to be found – those of Juan Ponce de León near Fort Myers, Florida, in 1521 and of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón near Brunswick, Georgia, in 1526. However, neither settlement lasted more than a few weeks.
Who excavated the second shipwreck?
The second shipwreck is currently being excavated by UWF with the assistance of a Florida Division of Historical Resources Special Category Grant.
What was De Luna's plan for the first European colony?
De Luna’s plan was to establish the first permanent European colony in North America. He called the settlement site Ochuse, La Florida. We call it Pensacola, Florida. The colony at Ochuse was to be the first in a series of settlements that would spread west along the gulf coast and north into the heart of the continent, securing the territory for Spain.
Where was Don Tristan de Luna discovered?
Florida Frontiers “Don Tristan de Luna”. A piece of wood carved into the shape of a Spanish galleon, discovered at the Emanuel Point Shipwreck Site. An artist’s rendering of the landing of Don Tristan de Luna at present-day Pensacola in 1559.
Where is the Emanuel Point Shipwreck Site?
The Emanuel Point Shipwreck Site was discovered at the bottom of Pensacola Bay in 1992, revealing two ships from de Luna’s doomed colonization attempt. Every summer, the University of West Florida conducts a field school at the Emanuel Point Shipwreck Site, allowing students to dive in teams, searching for lost artifacts in the murky water.
Where did the colonists go in 1561?
The colonists were dispersed to Mexico, Cuba, and Spain.
Who was the first colonist to sail into Pensacola Bay?
Cover of the historical novel “De Luna: Founder of North America’s First Colony” by John Appleyard. A fleet of ships carrying 1,500 colonists sailed into what is now Pensacola Bay on August 15, 1559. The men, women, and children aboard the ships were led by Spanish conquistador Don Tristan de Luna. De Luna’s plan was to establish ...
Where is the de Luna settlement?
Archaeologists from the University of West Florida announced on Thursday the discovery of one of the most significant historical sites in the nation: the archaeological site of the de Luna settlement, hidden just beneath the surface in the city’s East Pensacola Heights neighborhood .
Where was Tristán de Luna and Arellano?
For centuries, the exact location of Tristán de Luna y Arellano’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola — the first multi-year European settlement in the United States — has been a mystery.
What were the items found at the Pensacola shipwreck?
They are believed to be pieces of assorted cookware and tableware, including liquid storage containers called olive jars. Small personal and household items were also among the findings — a lead fishing line weight, a copper lacing aglet, and wrought iron nail and spike fragments. Additionally, the team recovered beads known to have been traded with Native Americans. These items are consistent with materials previously identified in the shipwrecks offshore in Pensacola Bay.
When was the first European colonial settlement in the United States?
The artifacts Garner discovered are definitive evidence of de Luna’s settlement, which lasted from 1559 to 1561 — the earliest multi-year European colonial settlement ever archaeologically identified in the United States. De Luna’s Pensacola settlement predates the Spanish settlement in St. Augustine, Fla. by six years, and the English settlement in Jamestown, Va. by 48 years.
Where were Spanish artifacts discovered?
Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)
Where was Tom Garner's artifact found?
Tom Garner holds an artifact discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)
Where did the Spanish settle in Florida?
The winter encampment of Hernando de Soto’ s Spanish exploratory expedition to Tallahassee, Florida, from 1539 to 1540, is the only earlier European habitation site positively identified by archaeologists in the southeastern United States. Two earlier Spanish colonial settlements have yet to be found — those of Juan Ponce de León near Fort Myers, Fla., in 1521 and of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón near Brunswick, Ga., in 1526. However, neither settlement lasted more than a few weeks.
