<![CDATA[According to reports emerging out of San Antonio, the foundations of an old world chapel that is said to date all the way back to the colonial era of Texas has been found at an archaeological site located in Floresville, right outside San Antonio. The excavation and archaeological work is headed by David Nickels, currently working for the Tierras Antiguas Archaeological Investigations. The group has managed to uncover certain portions of what was once known to be a part of the Flores Rancho that is located along the San Antonio River. The ranch was known as Tierras Antiguas and it was established by Francisco Flores in the 1700s. Francisco was believed to have been a cattle rancher who had descended from the Canary Islands. The ranch was also located right next to an area that was said to be controlled by the Chayopines, a local Native American tribe that played a major role in establishing Mission San Juan. According to Nickels, the volunteers searched the chapel for ancient discoveries and were surprised to find it untouched. Nickels believes that the foundations of the chapel protected it from raids by Chayopines. According to one report, the raiders could not gain access into the structure merely due to the fact that it was fortified in three corners. As a result, they had tried to access the structure via its roof. The roof was also known to have been fortified using dirt piles that were a few feet thick and oak logs. The report mentioned that even though a number of Indians tried to get into the compound by digging into the roof, they were easily captured or shot and killed. The land on which the chapel has been found is currently owned by Brian and Melissa Seiler. Both have been extremely committed in the process of restoring the historical grounds as well as the house. Nickels had also mentioned that they were currently using multiple points of reference to determine the exact story behind the site. He mentions that a great deal of research for the site and its surrounding lands has already been found and oral history studies are currently ongoing. According to Nickels, the archaeological excavations have been extremely enlightening and they were definitely worth the costs and the effort. He believes that it is not everyday that a person is allowed to witness and study a significant historical site firsthand. It is also believed that the colonial remnants uncovered here hold immense importance to the history of San Antonio and many more discoveries about the history and culture of the area could soon be uncovered. Nickels further stated that the archaeologists had managed to find certain ceramic sherds, metal hardware, square nails and bottle glass in the area. The exact scope of this historical find is still not available, but it is believed that we might be in for an exciting future as more and more details of the site are uncovered. In fact, Nickels is already planning his second visit to the chapel and he also plans to study the surrounding grounds in further details. ]]>
Colonial Chapel Uncovered in Texas
