Scattered prehistoric evidence—artifacts such as dart and arrow points, flint flakes, pottery, and features such as hearths, burnt rock middens, and rock shelters—may cover our landscape, but lacking written accounts, these physical remains provide only a limited set of clues to understanding the prehistoric peoples who once made the land that became Texas their home.
Historic sites, however, including those connected to early Texas exploration, can supply a much more robust vision of our past. This is thanks to journals and letters, and remains that augment what has been recovered from archeological investigations. These touchstones, garnered from accounts written at the time of exploration or from objects like tools, weapons, and ornamentation, are what we must use to understand our past. Artifacts, interpretation, and interactive experiences can be found throughout the state, helping to tell the story of how we came to be the Texas of today.
Read more about historical archeology in the Handbook of Texas Online.
