San Luis Bay Chumash Habitation Site - California Central Coast

We really enjoy finding these ancient sites. Sometimes though, there is an equal amount of disappointment involved. This is one of those places. I had seen an old photo of it (without the pier), but that was all. We had no references, or other clues as to where it was. I have a pretty good idea where many of these sites can be found, but it is still a lot of work.

We basically followed the Pacific Coast Trail along the bluffs for a few miles on foot, and several more by car. We never did find it the first day, but we figured it out that night, and pretty much drove right to it the next morning. 

This is where we went. It all started with a very pleasant view.  Better than that actually, because there was so much more to see than we expected.

This site could easily be thousands of years old. I stopped counting mortars at 75. There were also depressions that I believed to be the remains of many others. Also, no telling how many are under that concrete on the left.

 Cupules

 A look across San Luis bay.

A view from across the bay, back to the mortar site.  Imagine this scene a thousand years ago. Nothing made by modern man would be seen. It would be hundreds of years, before any white person even laid eyes on the area. Now imagine a Chumash village in the area of those buildings above the far pier. There were probably some of village women grinding food in the mortars below it. The village had everything they needed, with no danger of using up all the resources in the area. It was perfect! Right up until the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans did all they could to wipe them from the face of the earth. Their crime? They were here first...

In one form or another a pier has stood on this spot for well over a hundred years. Every single version contributed to the demise of this important historic cultural area. 

In some cases, they actually reshaped mortars to use as post holes. It amazes me that people would do this without giving so much as a second thought about what they were destroying. (see the square shape inside the round mortar).

 While I'm knee deep in mortars, my wife (who is much more observant than I am), finds some other treasures.

 Seals!

Also, some Cormorants.

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This mortar site is just a few feet away from, and below the road. Based on the geography, I'm positive that the related village was very close by. Unfortunately, I'm sure everything was destroyed by construction of the road, and grading of the slope and shelf above it. 

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Moonstone Beach - California Central Coast

Moonstone beach is actually part of the little and amazing town of Cambria (Latin for Wales). Although Moonstone beach has some small hotels, and a few restaurants, it is mostly known for it's beach. It's not really the kind of beach that comes to mind when most people think of beaches in southern/central California. Yes, you can swim, surf, stroll on the boardwalk and sunbathe there. You can also find moonstones. More on moonstones later. 

You already know that no matter where I am, I'm always on the lookout for evidence that Indians lived in an area. I just happened to stumble upon some of it right here. More on that later also.

These mortars were almost in plain site. After I spotted them, I had to wait for about 20 people to pass before I could actually get to them, and take these photos. Everyone of the people who passed it, saw nothing. I've asked many people I know if they've ever seen any mortars here. Every one of them said they hadn't. 

Very little is known relating to which Indian groups lived here in pre-history. Most of the known habitation in this area was by the Chumash people. It is estimated that as many as 40,000 Chumash lived in the area 1,000 years prior to the Spanish arriving. Then the Missions arrived, the miners, and then the farmers. Each group contributing to the systematic annihilation of most of the Chumash.

Placed my phone next to this one for scale. Had I realized that the screen was no nasty, I would have wiped it off first.

Some distance away, I found this. I'm absolutely sure they nobody gives this spot a second look, probably not even a first. It is called midden. It's the ancient equivalent of a trash/garbage pit. There were even some small shards of pottery on the surface of this one.

 There were so many pelicans flying around, that I had to get at least one photo.

I don't know if I've ever seen a turkey vulture coasting along over the ocean before.

I don't know who exactly to give credit for the following three photos to. I found them via Google.

Most of the areas in the first several photos where you see beach front, is most likely not made of sand, but of this. On any given day, you will see people digging through the sand/rocks for moonstones.

 These are unpolished moonstones

These are polished moonstones. Apparently, it is a type of feldspar. When it forms, it does so in layers. Light reflects off the layers and causes the stone to glow. I believe that moonstone is considered a gem, but I'm not sure. 

If you are ever on the central California coast, this area is a must see.


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Keyhole Canyon Southern Nevada

Keyhole Canyon is located in Southwestern Nevada. Not only is it a fantastic rock art site, the geology there is also amazing.

We are going to those distant mountains.

 Getting closer

Keyhole Canyon is straight ahead. It should be described as a "box" canyon because that is what it is. One way in, and one way out.

PLEASE EMBIGGEN THIS PHOTO!

I'm starting from the far end of the canyon, because that is where this AMAZING dry waterfall was. I had my wife get into the photo for scale. From bottom to top (that disappears into the sunlight) it was easily 10 stories tall. The front of the canyon is 20-30 yards wide, but it narrows quickly, and we had to squeeze into the last part.  All of the white stone going up the falls, has been worn as smooth as glass. 

 In the center of the photo you can see my wife. She is very close to the VERY narrow opening leading to the main part of the canyon. Nobody knows why, but there are no petroglyphs at all in this area. Just past the narrow opening, there are many of them.

This is one of the first groupings of petroglyphs outside the Cathedral area. Most noteworthy of this group is the row of lateral grooves running up the middle of the rock. As you can clearly see, they look like they are eroding away. They are not! The creator of the petroglyph, did it on purpose. It is called "edge abrasion." Some archaeologists believe that this effect, is always near a location (usually a rock shelter) used for "puberty initiate" fasting. 

 Just inside the canyon mouth was a rock shelter that contained this awesome boulder.

In addition to this single mortero (mortar), there are at least a hundred cupules ground into the stone. Many archaeologists consider "cupules" to be the earliest form of "rock art."  Based on this boulder, I'm thinking this place was used more for ceremony, than for habitation. There has certainly been a lot of water here, but that was probably many thousands of years ago. 

Many of the petroglyphs in this canyon are thousands of years old. There are several layers in some parts. This panel is one of them. What is cool about it (to me anyway) is the presence of big horn sheep and the symbol in the middle. See a close up in the next photo.

This "stylized" human figure is called an "anthropomorph." (ascribing human form or attributes to something that is not human). There are also a couple of big horn sheep in the panel. This symbol (a human with horns) most likely represents a Shaman and his "helper" animal. Or not...

 To me, this symbol looks like a some type of abstract big horn sheep (or two). 

These large geometric symbols have been associated (by archaeologists) with the "creation mythology" associated with the Pueblo/Anasazi, Paiute, and Mojave tribes, that have all been associated with this area.

 Big horn sheep

 A variety

 Is it just me, or is that a clown face in the upper middle? Clowns are scary and I hate them...

Many big horn sheep

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