1 - During the mission period, the Apalachee's traditional political structures and practices remained intact except for the traditional leaders' loss of independence in acknowledging the sovereignty of Spain's king and in accepting subordination to his governor and deputy-governor. Spanish authorities coopted the native authorities and in doing so may also have been coopted by them in strengthening or restoring the native leaders' hold over their people.

2 - The Apalachee's attachment to traditional diversions such as playing the ball game and chunkey remained strong despite opposition to the ball game on the part of some clergy and, ultimately, some secular authorities. The natives' attachment to their traditional dances remained equally strong or stronger, although a few dances that apparently conflicted with Christian mores were banned. The length of dancing was also curbed. Nothing is known of the Apalachee's exposure to and adoption of European musical intruments.

3 - There were at least three types of Apalachee structures (not including storage facilities) during the mission period: council houses, chiefs' houses, and commoners' houses. To date, only a council house and a chief's house have been identified at San Luis on the edge of the central plaza. It is likely that most of the people living under the jurisdiction of San Luis resided in farmsteads and hamlets surrounding the hilltop.

4 - It appears as though firearms never effectively replaced the bow and arrow during the mission period. Excavations in the Apalachee council house and chief's house at San Luis revealed numerous projectile points and thousands of pieces of "debitage," the stone by-product of flintknapping. This suggests that stone tool and weapon manufacturing continued to be a common practice.

5 - The Apalachee maintained their vigorous pottery-making tradition throughout the mission period. The most dramatic change in their pottery was the appearance of "colono-wares" or "copy wares." These were made by native women using traditional technology, but in European vessel forms. While colono-ware plates and bowls are frequently recovered from the Spanish village, hundreds of colono-ware candlestick fragments have been found in the church.

6 - Intensive maize agriculture was always the mainstay of the Apalachee diet. They supplemented maize with indigenous wild foods and, during the mission period, with domesticated Old World plants and animals. The Spaniards, however, did introduce the Apalachee to more of an export economy based on agricultural products, animal husbandry, and gathering activities.

7 - Little is known about the degree of the Apalachee's adoption of iron tools, their use of the plow, or their exposure to and training in European trades such as blacksmithing and tanning.

8 - The most significant change in Apalachee lifeways revealed archaeologically at San Luis is found in the mission cemetery. Not only did the Apalachee choose to be buried in the church, their orientation and placement (with their hands folded on their chests) followed Christian tradition. At least seven individuals were also buried in coffins.

 9 - The degree of the Apalachee's continued attachment to their traditional religious practices remains unknown. Remarks by one friar circa 1690 suggest that they may have maintained some reliance on their precontact religious beliefs, although his testimony is suspect. The French at Mobile found the religious practices of Apalachee who migrated there from San Luis and Escambe scarcely distinguishable from those of Christianized Europeans.

10 - The Apalachee remained steadfastly attached to their traditional ways of curing. Documentation attests to their continued reliance on shamans and in using remedies that native healers had discovered. The Christians' reliance on prayer to God and to the saints was probably added, and may well have had an equivalent in native practices.

ission San Luis is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday 10-4. Admission is free. For special tour arrangements or information on living history and educational programming, please call (850) 487-3711. Archaeological and historical research staff may be reached at (850) 487-3655.