Archaeology

The Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) is actively involved in the discovery, documentation and preservation of archaeological resources in the City of San Antonio and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. A total of over 2,300 archaeological sites have been recorded in San Antonio and throughout Bexar County.

Archaeological Investigation

As required through federal, state, or local laws and regulations, certain construction projects are reviewed to assess potential impacts to archaeological sites. Examples of such investigations include the excavations at:

• Brackenridge Park
• Hemisfair Park
• Main Plaza
• Plaza de Armas
• San Pedro Springs Park

These reviews facilitate the development of each respective project while also helping to preserve the diverse cultural fabric of San Antonio. The City of San Antonio's city ordinance, the Unified Development Code, represents some of the strongest preservation laws in the country for the conservation of cultural resources, including protection measures for archaeological sites.

In addition to project reviews, the OHP sponsors education and outreach archaeology-related events throughout the year, especially for Texas Archeology Month and National Archeology Day in October.

Reports

Archaeology reports subject to review by the OHP are made available to the public online. These reports exemplify just a sampling of the rich archaeological history in the City of San Antonio. Archaeological site location information is redacted in accordance with the Texas Antiquities Code.

Archaeology Reports