University of West Florida Luna Settlement Project

04/11/2026

Very sad news regarding our colleague and friend in the maritime side of Luna expedition research.

With sadness, we share that UWF Associate Professor of Maritime Archaeology, Dr. Greg Cook, passed away on Wednesday, April 1.

Please keep the Cook family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time. A celebration of life is planned for later this year.

04/06/2026

Please join on zoom at 1pm tomorrow, April 6th to support Pax Johnson’s thesis!

03/02/2026

The 2025 University of West Florida Combined Maritime and Terrestrial Field School offers one of the most comprehensive archaeological training experiences in the Southeast. Based in Pensacola, Florida, this program integrates both maritime and terrestrial methods, giving students the opportunity to develop a wide range of hands‑on skills while contributing to active research projects.
The maritime component focuses on investigations of historic wreck sites in local waters. Students will dive on geophysical targets that may be connected to the 1559 Tristán de Luna expedition and participate in a geophysical survey of Blackwater Bay aimed at identifying additional shipwrecks. Training emphasizes essential field and lab methods, including site control grids, the use of hand tools, identification of ship structure and features, detailed field documentation, operation of field instruments, and introductory conservation procedures. A diving certification from a nationally recognized program, along with appropriate permissions, is required for participation in underwater work.
The terrestrial portion centers on the Mission Escambe site in Molino. Excavations there will revisit an area previously identified as the likely location of the mission church associated with the Apalachee community, a project delayed after the discovery of the Luna Settlement in 2015. Students will gain experience excavating in clay-rich soils using shovels and trowels, with an emphasis on careful excavation techniques, field drawings, thorough documentation, and integrated field‑lab practices.
Together, these complementary components offer an immersive educational experience that prepares students for professional work across archaeological settings. Participants will build technical competence, contribute to ongoing research, and deepen their understanding of both colonial and indigenous histories in the Pensacola region.
Find out more at: https://uwf.edu/cassh/departments/anthropology/field-schools/

02/12/2026

Spend your summer in the field!

Applications are now open for UWF’s Summer 2026 Archaeological Field Schools — including terrestrial, maritime, and combined options!

Whether you’re interested in hands-on excavation, archaeological recording, or underwater research, UWF’s field schools provide immersive, professional training for undergraduate and graduate students seeking course credit. The best part? You don't have to be a UWF student!

👉 Apply now to express interest: https://uwf.edu/cassh/departments/anthropology/field-schools/

Students will receive additional registration details later this spring. Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program.

Questions about specific field schools? Please reach out to [email protected].

University of West Florida UWF College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities UWF Maritime Archaeology

02/07/2026

Yesterday we had an opportunity to do some shovel testing in advance of a house demolition on the Luna Settlement, so a group of graduate and undergraduate students got a chance to do some winter field work overlooking the bay.

12/25/2025

Some 466 years ago, the first Christmas Mass ever held in Pensacola was celebrated by the members of the Tristán de Luna expedition at the Luna Settlement in 1559. This was also the first Christmas Mass held in a church building in the entire United States (Hernando de Soto's expedition had celebrated the first Christmas Mass without a formal church in Tallahassee twenty years earlier in 1539).

Below is a link to a digitized copy of the 1553 Dominican missal likely in use at the time by the missionaries who accompanied the expedition, with an image of the first page of the text of the midnight Mass liturgy that could have been used (folio 7, verso).

https://books.google.com/books?id=HodVAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP5 =onepage&q&f=false

12/18/2025

Yesterday marked exactly 10 years since the formal announcement of the discovery of the Luna Settlement in Pensacola. It's hard to believe that it's been a full decade, but UWF faculty, staff, and students are still analyzing data from eight summer field schools at the site, along with extensive shovel testing and monitoring/mitigation projects across the 32-acre site. Immediately below is a link to a compiled bibliography of publications, reports, and student theses relating to the Luna Settlement since that date, and associated Emanuel Point shipwrecks, and below that are a couple of links original articles published on that day ten years ago (there were quite a few beyond these).
https://pages.uwf.edu/jworth/jw_spanfla_luna_bibliography.html

PNJ article from December 17, 2015
https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2015/12/17/we-found-lunas-colony/77449884/

WUWF article from December 17, 2015.
https://www.wuwf.org/local-news/2015-12-17/archeologists-find-delunas-settlement-in-pensacola

Location of the oldest established European multi-year settlement in the U.S. is indeed in heart of Pensacola.

10/29/2025

06/25/2025

We got a mention in the PNJ today!

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/2025/06/25/uwf-archaeology-uncover-secrets-of-molino-and-luna-settlement-site/84266127007/ #

Historic Pensacola, sure. But historic Molino? UWF archaeology students are researching site of 18th century native mission.

06/17/2025

Even though our field school students have moved on to Mission Escambe (on the Pensacola Colonial Frontiers page), when we have a rain day like today, we've been returning to continue processing artifacts recovered at the Luna Settlement site during our first three weeks. Today was a good example of why we bag up all the tiny bits left in the screens after sifting out all the dirt, so that we can examine them in better conditions in the lab. Even though it was not originally identified during field sifting, a nice little 16th-century Nueva Cadiz bead showed up today among all the tiny items in the less than 1/4" fraction. Such beads were brought as "rescates" or trade/gift goods for the local Native Americans across whose lands Luna's army would have crossed had the expedition not been devastated by the 1559 hurricane.

06/08/2025

Here's another student post from Group 2 for Week 3:
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A big hello from Group Two over at Unit 129!

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve weathered our fair share of trials and tribulations. Most notably, we’ve faced the dreaded “wall fall” not once, not twice, not three times, but four! Fortunately, it seems the fourth time has been the charm (fingers crossed!). With some extra care and close attention, our walls have been holding up strong these past couple of days.

“Wall fall” refers to the collapse of a unit’s wall or walls. In our case, this has been due to a combination of weak root support and the dry, coarse sand that makes up our structure.

[see Picture 1]

The trowel has become our trusty sidekick and easily the most used tool in our kits. Whether tucked into a back pocket or holstered on a belt, it keeps us ready for whatever the unit throws our way. Beyond just moving dirt, we use our trowels to smooth out walls, identify stratigraphic layers, and collect soil samples. These soil samples are then matched to a Munsell chart to help us determine soil color and composition.

[Picture 2]

When the rain starts to fall, we jump into action to cover our unit and protect it from any possible damage. Last week’s downpour had us wrapping up our unit earlier than usual, but that didn’t mean the work stopped. While waiting out the rain, we took the time to update our field journals, monitor the weather, and assist other crews with covering their units.

[Picture 3]