Meyers Springs: Archaeological investigations at an inter-regional site

Before the fall of 2007, no single project had produced a complete or official archaeological survey of the approximately 600-acre area surrounding 41TE9 in Terrell County, Texas even though the area contains two National Register properties: the Meyers Springs Pictograph Site and the Bullis’ Camp Site. With the help from a private donation and collaboration with the Rock Art Foundation, an intensive pedestrian survey was conducted of the 600-acre parcel, the results of which are reported in this thesis. The primary goals of this thesis are to: (1) document the distribution of cultural material across the landscape and document its condition, (2) identify the patterns within and between Meyers Springs’ concentration of cultural material (referred to as localities) to determine each locality’s function, (3) analyze the data obtained from locality delineation to identify which regions had influence at Meyers Springs throughout prehistory. In addition to the previously recorded rock art site and historic camp, the survey recorded three rockshelters, 15 burned rock middens, eight wikiup or tipi foundation rings, and numerous lithic procurement and production areas. Due to 41TE9’s intermediate location, between the Lower Pecos and eastern Trans-Pecos regions and the presence of a natural spring that flows still today, Meyers Springs was an important location for prehistoric groups. By studying the landscape, settlement pattern, and cultural material, this thesis attempts to illuminate how the prehistoric groups that occupied Meyers Springs utilized and adapted to the landscape.