Archaeological evidence of colonialism: Franciscan Spanish missions in La Florida

Archival sources have documented the role of the Franciscan missions (1573-1763) in the colonization of La Florida. Is there corresponding archaeological evidence for the process of colonization? By comparing the pre-mission archaeological record of native peoples with that of their mission-dwelling descendants we can begin to discern such phenomena, including changes in agricultural production and practices, the resettlement and consolidation of native populations: bio-archaeological data, new burial pattems, and the accumulation of specific categories of European-made items.