Pine Canyon #1
Pine Canyon #12 bedrock mortars, 2 cupules, and an incised rock at the Intersection of Castle Rock and Stage Road Trails.Mortar and pestle.
Territory: Bay Miwok
Speakers of Bay Miwok dialects occupied most of the area of Contra Costa County not bordering San Francisco or San Pablo bays. The territory of one Bay Miwok tribe, the Jalquin, may have extended into Alameda county and touched San Francisco bay at the mouth of San Leandro Creek.
South Blue Oak Trail Ridge
South Blue Oak Trail Ridge One bowl mortar, two probable bowl mortars and 2-3 probable bedrock mortars Elevation 2125 ft. Note the smooth, flared rim on this bowl.
Whelk Lookout
Whelk LookoutTwo bedrock mortars.Looking east from the lookout on a beautiful winter’s day..
Below Jamie’s Knob
Below Jamie’s KnobFour bedrock mortars and several possible mortars.Elevation 329 ft.Thanks to our master site finder spotting these beautiful mortars.This outcrop is right in the creek bed. Water was ponding up about 10 yards away on the last day of August 2014. The Indians knew where all the reliable water sources were located.A closeup of […]
Curry Creek Milling Station
Curry Creek Milling Station.18 bedrock mortar milling station on a side creek; leaching slick in the creek.The huge bowls found here are like no others we’ve discovered in the East Bay hills. They are deep and wide and have bullet-shaped mortars in their bottoms. Deep cone-shaped mortars with unusually large oval mouths also appear here. […]
Indian Tree
Indian Tree6 bedrock mortars off Valley View in Orinda.Local kids call it the “Indian Tree”.
Lower Deer Valley
Lower Deer Valley14 bedrock mortars.Elevation 495 ft.Way to go Jaime!Looking at the site. The mortar rocks in this little camp lie just off the Stewartville Trail near Sand Creek in Black Diamond Mines Regional Park.Bob looks down at one of the mortar rocks.These bullet-shaped mortars are deep and reminiscent of the ones found at China […]
Manzanita Ridge
Manzanita Ridge2 probable bedrock mortarsElevation 1461 ft.The ridge southeast of Bob’s Mortar is covered with Manzanita. These mortars may have started life as geoconcretions.
Pine Canyon #2
Pine Canyon #2One bedrock mortar in a charming creekside setting below Castle Rock.Elevation 489 ft.Thanks to Richard for conducting us to this site and leading us through the “back door” to Castle Rock.Bob and Richard examine the mortar.A closeup of the mortar.
Stone Corral
Stone Corral33 bedrock mortars, prayer circle, 2 sets of double cupules, rock wall alignments, and hunting blinds.Elevation 1800 ft.What kind of animals would be constrained by this corral? We believe the stone corral was the site of Indian games and/or ceremonies. HIke up the ridge to the west and find the spot where you have […]