The San Agustin Mission Excavation Weeks 1-3

Excavations began at the San Agustin Mission site on November 20, 2000. The Mission site, although heavily disturbed, is still providing important evidence about Tucson's Origins.

Prior to the beginning of fieldwork at the site, only a few rocks from the west compound wall were visible.

Rocks from the west compound wall.
Move your mouse over the image to show the wall foundation buried below the soil!

This wall once surrounded the mission, providing protection in case of attack by Native Americans. Hand excavation has revealed that the stone foundation of the wall survives for at least 30 meters (92 ft) along the east side of Brickyard Lane.

Backhoe stripping has also uncovered the foundation of the granary, used to store crops during the occupation of the mission. The granary is about 18 meters long and 9 meters wide. Because of the width of the structure, and the lack of long timbers, a series of pillars ran down the center of the building. These pillars helped support ceiling timbers, each perhaps 4.5 meters long.

Excavation of the San Agustin granary

Unfortunately, it was discovered that the majority of the mission area was destroyed in the 1950s during clay mining and landfilling activities. Attempts to find the chapel and convento were thwarted by the depth of disturbed areas- it appears that the remains of these structures were bulldozed between 1956 and 1960. South of Mission Lane a 50 to 60 ft wide band of undisturbed soil remains. Excavation of test units and limited backhoe scraping have exposed a Hohokam pithouse, a fragmentary structure foundation- perhaps from the Carrillo House, a probable acequia (canal), and a pit filled with trash discarded by Chinese farmers who lived in the area between 1880 and 1900.

A rusting wok, at least one hundred years old,
provides evidence of Tucson's Chinese Heritage.

Read The Next Excavation Progress Report >