ture of these essential trade items that served as conduits for early contact between Indians and Europeans.
Radiocarbon Date for the Pig Jaw Recovered at The Governor Martin House Site
Since the excavation of the Governor Martin House site in 1987, archaeologists have used the presence of pig remains as a major line of evidence for the presence of the conquistador Hernando de Soto. During preparation for the expedition into La Florida, in Cuba, Soto provisioned a herd of pigs from Vasco Porcallo that was intended to serve as a mobile larder (Hudson 1997:55). The discovery of pig remains at the Martin House site was considered another line of evidence for the presence of the Soto expedition at the site.
Reanalysis of the context in which the pig remains were discovered, however, revealed that they came from a less than ideal context. Rather than excavated from a secure “closed” context, the pig remains were found in a unit with a modern metal pipe running through it. Such soil disturbances can mix artifacts from many different time periods. The Martin House site was occupied for centuries after Soto’s 1539 expedition. Archeologists also found evidence of Mission era (1633–1704), and 18th and early 19th century Seminole occupations. The site was also the residence of Governor John Wellborn Martin, whose house was built in 1930. Given the disturbed context of the pig bones, they have dated to later occupation.
In order to put this question to rest, BAR archaeologist Dr. Dan Seinfeld sent the pig remains to the Center for Applied Isotope Studies at the University of Georgia for radiometric dating using an accelerator mass spectrometer. This method, called AMS dating, requires smaller samples than are needed for traditional radiocarbon dating and is more precise. This analysis showed that the pig bones had an uncalibrated 14C age of 110 years BP (100 years before 1950) with a 1σ error of +/- 20 years. The result demonstrates that the pig died between 1820 and 1860 (with a 1σ margin of error). The most likely timeframe for the pig’s death was between 1831 and 1889. This timeframe is after the Seminole were pushed out of the Tallahassee area, which suggests that the pig may have been associated with early territorial settlers. Regardless of its specific year, dating shows that the pig could not have been associated with the Soto expedition. The pig more likely was associated with either Seminole or early territorial settlers in Tallahassee.
As scientists, archaeologists are committed to questioning past interpretations and being willing to change what they think is known based on new observations. This dating of the pig remains shows how archaeologists use new techniques to reanalyze earlier findings. Although the pig remains at the Governor Martin House site were not from Soto’s expedition, other lines of evidence continue to support the presence of the conquistador at the site. Archaeological arguments are proven with independent lines of evidence. The discovery of crossbow bolts, mail armor, early 16th century coins, 7 layer chevron beads, and early variety olive jars proves the presence of early 16th century Spaniards at the site. Along with corroboration from historical records, pig or no pig, these artifacts support the presence of Soto’s expedition at the Governor Martin House property.