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