H.R. No. 2245
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Live Oak County Historical Commission hosted the
dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker for Loma Sandia
Prehistoric Cemetery in Live Oak County on April 19, 2015; and
WHEREAS, A late Middle Archaic burial ground and campsite,
the Loma Sandia site was discovered in 1973 by archeologists from
the Texas Department of Transportation working in advance of the
construction of Interstate Highway 37; the skeletal remains of more
than 200 individuals have been recovered, and strata analysis
indicated that burials occurred from 850 to 550 B.C., when a number
of tribes sharing a Coahuiltecan language dialect occupied the area
from present-day San Antonio to Mexican Coahuila and Tamaulipas;
and
WHEREAS, Research at the Loma Sandia site has led
archeologists to revise theories about the ancient peoples of South
Texas; previously, scholars believed that most burials in the
region's interior were isolated graves left by small, constantly
moving bands; however, the size of the Loma Sandia cemetery and the
evidence offered by mortuary items found there indicate that the
culture, while itinerant, was more communal, with groups encamping
periodically for religious and funeral rituals within fixed
territories over a period of several hundred years; and
WHEREAS, Artifacts found at the site also reveal slowly
developing sophistication in the making of tools; in addition, the
items excavated, including marine shells and shark teeth, show
interaction with groups on the Gulf Coast, as well as a lesser
degree of communication with groups in Central Texas; and
WHEREAS, The Loma Sandia Prehistoric Cemetery has provided a
wealth of information about the early inhabitants of South Texas,
and recognition from the Texas Historical Commission underscores
the importance of this site in advancing knowledge of a bygone
civilization; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Official Texas
Historical Marker for the Loma Sandia Prehistoric Cemetery and
commend the efforts of those involved in securing this designation;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the historical commission as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Guillen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2245 was adopted by the House on May
21, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House