De Soto discovery could change history books Published:
Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 6:38 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, July
8, 2012 at 12:03 a.m. Hernando De Soto's route through Florida
is as elusive to modern archaeologists as the gold the famed
Spanish explorer sought throughout the southeastern United
States. Four-day De Soto series - The discovery - The artifacts
- Authenticating the finds - Discouraging looters - De Soto, the
man - The Spanish mission trail - Exhibit at the Appleton Museum
Ever since De Soto's 600 men set foot on the shores of Tampa
Bay, arriving from Cuba almost 500 years ago, historians have
debated the exact direction of his failed treasure-hunting
expeditions as far north as Tennessee and North Carolina. But in
north Marion County, an archaeologist has found what his
contemporaries deem rarer than the gold De Soto was seeking —
physical evidence of the explorer's precise journey through
Marion County and enough information to redraw Florida De Soto
maps and fuel many more archaeological