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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Live Oak County Historical Commission hosted the |
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| 6 | 7 | | dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker for Loma Sandia |
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| 7 | 8 | | Prehistoric Cemetery in Live Oak County on April 19, 2015; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A late Middle Archaic burial ground and campsite, |
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| 9 | 10 | | the Loma Sandia site was discovered in 1973 by archeologists from |
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| 10 | 11 | | the Texas Department of Transportation working in advance of the |
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| 11 | 12 | | construction of Interstate Highway 37; the skeletal remains of more |
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| 12 | 13 | | than 200 individuals have been recovered, and strata analysis |
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| 13 | 14 | | indicated that burials occurred from 850 to 550 B.C., when a number |
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| 14 | 15 | | of tribes sharing a Coahuiltecan language dialect occupied the area |
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| 15 | 16 | | from present-day San Antonio to Mexican Coahuila and Tamaulipas; |
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| 16 | 17 | | and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Research at the Loma Sandia site has led |
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| 18 | 19 | | archeologists to revise theories about the ancient peoples of South |
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| 19 | 20 | | Texas; previously, scholars believed that most burials in the |
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| 20 | 21 | | region's interior were isolated graves left by small, constantly |
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| 21 | 22 | | moving bands; however, the size of the Loma Sandia cemetery and the |
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| 22 | 23 | | evidence offered by mortuary items found there indicate that the |
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| 23 | 24 | | culture, while itinerant, was more communal, with groups encamping |
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| 24 | 25 | | periodically for religious and funeral rituals within fixed |
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| 25 | 26 | | territories over a period of several hundred years; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Artifacts found at the site also reveal slowly |
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| 27 | 28 | | developing sophistication in the making of tools; in addition, the |
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| 28 | 29 | | items excavated, including marine shells and shark teeth, show |
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| 29 | 30 | | interaction with groups on the Gulf Coast, as well as a lesser |
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| 30 | 31 | | degree of communication with groups in Central Texas; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, The Loma Sandia Prehistoric Cemetery has provided a |
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| 32 | 33 | | wealth of information about the early inhabitants of South Texas, |
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| 33 | 34 | | and recognition from the Texas Historical Commission underscores |
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| 34 | 35 | | the importance of this site in advancing knowledge of a bygone |
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| 35 | 36 | | civilization; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Official Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Historical Marker for the Loma Sandia Prehistoric Cemetery and |
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| 39 | 40 | | commend the efforts of those involved in securing this designation; |
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| 40 | 41 | | and, be it further |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 42 | 43 | | prepared for the historical commission as an expression of high |
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| 43 | 44 | | regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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