2025
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South Central • Mason County, Texas
TxDOT 41MS78 Archeological Data Recovery
To mitigate the impact of a new bridge construction by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), SWCA conducted a comprehensive archaeological investigation.
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Austin
4407 Monterey Oaks Boulevard
Building 1, Suite 110
Austin, Texas 78749
Building 1, Suite 110
Austin, Texas 78749
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Description
The Llano River Crossing Site in Texas Hill Country, south of Mason, is a significant archaeological location where prehistoric communities thrived for thousands of years. To mitigate the impact of a new bridge construction by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), SWCA conducted a comprehensive archaeological investigation. The project involved a team of experienced archaeologists and geoarchaeologists who worked under the guidelines of the Antiquities Code of Texas and the National Historic Preservation Act.
This project addressed the site’s complex stratigraphy and fragmentation due to a deep roadcut. SWCA utilized geoarchaeological techniques, such as magnetic susceptibility analyses and optically stimulated luminescence dating, to correlate cultural strata across the site. Drone technology was employed for mapping and analyzing features. Over 44 days, the team safely excavated 120 cubic meters of deposits, uncovering details of prehistoric life along the Llano River. This effort ensured the preservation of cultural heritage while allowing TxDOT to maintain its construction schedule.
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Life Along the Llano River: Data Recovery Excavations Record Prehistoric Community
Drawn by plentiful resources found along the Llano River, prehistoric peoples camped and thrived on the adjacent river terraces for thousands of years. Evidence of their activities accumulated, forming a significant archaeological resource, the Llano River Crossing Site, located south of the City of Mason in the west-central Texas Hill Country.
The development of a new bridge to cross the river along an existing roadway had the potential to affect the area so the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) turned to long-standing partner SWCA. With a relationship spanning decades, TxDOT selected SWCA to mitigate impacts through an extensive and innovative archaeological investigation.