The Herrera-Treviño Ranch Site, Starr County, Texas

AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. (AmaTerra) conducted archeological test excavations at site 41SR459 in October 2018 for the Texas Department of Transportation. Work was conducted on behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Environmental Affairs Division, under contract number 577XXSA001 (Work Authorization 57715SA001) and Texas Antiquities permit number 8585. Site 41SR459 was located during an archeological survey for the proposed construction of a new roadway, State Loop 195, and is located north of US-83 within Starr County, Texas. This site is a prehistoric campsite consisting of a dense lithic scatter and burned rock features. Archeological testing consisted of detailed surface mapping of the site, the mechanical excavation of one 60-meter long backhoe trench, the hand excavation of six selected test units, and one hand-excavated control test unit within the trench wall. This work ������18 burned rock features located throughout the site, six of which were chosen for feature-focused unit excavations. In total this site yielded a sizeable quantity of lithic material and burned rock. Cultural material recovered from the site included diagnostic artifacts, lithic tools, lithic debitage, FCR, one historic ceramic, a bone bead, mussel shell, and faunal remains. The radiocarbon ages, coupled with dates from temporally diagnostic artifacts, indicate a minimum ot two occupations (and possibly a third): one during the Late Archaic and one during the Late Prehistoric periods. The portion of the site located within the Area of Potential Effects (APE) is recommended as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and as a State Archeological Landmark (SAL). Although the site may extend farther north and south outside of the APE, further work is recommended within the ROW for Site 41SR459 and should proceed to data recovery. All artifacts and ���records will be curated at the Center for Archeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos for permanent curation