Looking at a Ron Smith photo of Cat Rock...
...while I’m reading about the “Meadow (Bedrock Mortars) BRMs.
This site
is consists of two bedrock milling stations at the foot of Cat Rock just above
an intermittent stream. Site vegetation is a mix of grassland and mixed oaks.
One andesite pestle was found in association with the features. The site sits
at an elevation of 320 feet.”
And I read on :
“NE Access Road
BRM #1. This station has one andesite boulder
with two cups. The boulder is at an
elevation of 155 feet and a perennial drainage is directly adjacent to it and
forms the eastern boundary of the site. No artifacts or middens were found.
NE Access Road BRM
#2. This BRM is one andesite boulder
with three cupules. No artifacts or middens were observed. The site is at an
elevation of 195 feet with a seasonal drainage located directly adjacent and
forming the eastern site boundary.
The site is
located in an oak woodland.
NE Access Road BRM
#3. This BRM is located in a flat meadow 10 meters from a perennial drainage.
It is described as a low-lying andesite
boulder with a single cupule. (Button Thesis “MULTIPLE WAYS OF SEEING ONE
PLACE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE SUTTER BUTTES, CALIFORNIA
pgs. 98-99).”
And
I wonder why is a mortar that is on a boulder called a “bed rock mortar?”
And then there are some Possible Hunting Blinds on page 113 - I wonder if any of Ron's photos match up with any of these, looking at the alphabet soup of how sites are designated before seeing this one:
"LF 24: Hunting Blind Facing Cat Rock. This site is a linear rock feature that may be the remnants of a prehistoric hunting blind. The feature is 29m (almost 95 feet) in length, 0.50m (1.6 feet)- 2.5m (8 ft.)in width and 0.10m (almost 4 inches)-2.5m (Still 8 feet!) in height. It is orientated northwest/southeast and follows the contour of the ridgeline. Sykes and Pillado (2005) noted that “the site and the others located on this ridgeline are probably all part of the same complex, possibly associated with prehistoric hunting activities.” The site is situated on a ridgeline overlooking Peace Valley and is only 60 meters from a hunting blind facing North Butte. No artifacts were found. A spring and intermittent drainage are 250 meters from the site which sits at an elevation of 693 feet."
The boulder mortar - or the hunting blind - isn't an artifact? Are they "rock (or stone) features?" Are they "Landscape Furniture?"
What if it ends in a snake's head-like stone? Is it a Petroform or geoglyph or intaglio?
Who makes up these definitions?
And then there are some Possible Hunting Blinds on page 113 - I wonder if any of Ron's photos match up with any of these, looking at the alphabet soup of how sites are designated before seeing this one:
"LF 24: Hunting Blind Facing Cat Rock. This site is a linear rock feature that may be the remnants of a prehistoric hunting blind. The feature is 29m (almost 95 feet) in length, 0.50m (1.6 feet)- 2.5m (8 ft.)in width and 0.10m (almost 4 inches)-2.5m (Still 8 feet!) in height. It is orientated northwest/southeast and follows the contour of the ridgeline. Sykes and Pillado (2005) noted that “the site and the others located on this ridgeline are probably all part of the same complex, possibly associated with prehistoric hunting activities.” The site is situated on a ridgeline overlooking Peace Valley and is only 60 meters from a hunting blind facing North Butte. No artifacts were found. A spring and intermittent drainage are 250 meters from the site which sits at an elevation of 693 feet."
The boulder mortar - or the hunting blind - isn't an artifact? Are they "rock (or stone) features?" Are they "Landscape Furniture?"
What if it ends in a snake's head-like stone? Is it a Petroform or geoglyph or intaglio?
Who makes up these definitions?
The people who make the definitions are the ones who cannot afford to see the truth or speak it even if they saw it for fear of losing their job/position/reputation.
ReplyDeleteDave C.
I am hopeful that this is beginning to change. I'd think it would be rather embarrassing to be the archaeologist who has the reputation of not be able to see see the obvious Turtle or Snake - stone fish weir or hunting blind - that even a child could have enough imagination to plainly see...
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