Volvon Village on Mallory Creek 715 bedrock mortars and countless housepits spread over a half mile. Cupule rock. This village, located in the highlands of the Black Hills, must have been one of the largest settlements in the prehistoric Bay Area, yet it was, apparently, unknown to early archaeologists and historians. It does not appear […]
ALA-6044 bedrock mortars and 182 cupules near the intersection of Crow Canyon Road and Castro Valley Boulevard.The official trinomial for this site is CA-ALA-60. E. Breck Parkman, Senior State Archaeologist for California State Parks, suggests this may be one of the oldest acorn processing sites in the Bay Area. Cultural material excavated here has been […]
Lower Volvon Village200 bedrock mortars and a 32 cupule rock. A second cupule rock also at the site. Numerous housepits.Elevation 1445 ft.This is one of the largest collections of bedrock mortars in California, and it is only about a mile and a half away from the main Volvon Village.The Lower Village sits on the side […]
Upper Pond Village Creek10 bedrock mortars and 10 cupules.Elevation 1888 ft.This site sits beside the creek that flows down to the Pond Village. One of the mortars here is on a nice, flat slab in the creekbed.All ten cupules are on this rock, although it’s hard to make them out in this picture. Two are […]
Alvarado Park2 bedrock mortars, 275+ cupules, 2 PCNs, and midden behind gazebo.This chlorite blueschist outcropping on Wildcat Creek has more cupules on it than any other we know of in the Bay Area. Was it just the blueschist found here and on Baxter Creek that attracted cuple-makers, or was something else at work?Jim and Heather […]
Lynch Canyon Village51 bedrock mortars and 5 cupules/anvilsElevation 451 ft.This village is adjacent to the South Fork of Lynch Creek.Exploring the site.Examining one of the mortar rocks.The flat slab holds 31 bedrock mortars, although about half that number are covered by vegetation in this photograph.Photograph by Bob Bardell.Lynch Canyon Open Space is now open to […]
Upper San Leandro Reservoir8 bedrock mortars, 3-5 cupules. Site may be underwater.This is a beautiful spot now because of the Upper San Leandro Reservoir, but it was probably nice in Jalquin times too. Back then these mortars were on a little hillside terrace above Kaiser Creek, a perennial watercourse. How many mortars here and how […]
Blue Oak Trail16 bedrock mortars above Blue Oak Trail.This is a sweet campsite with a secluded feel even though it’s right above Blue Oak Trail and a stone’s throw from the Lion’s Mane Village.The bowl mortar here is about the size and shape of a small mixing bowl–8 1/2″ in diameter–and a little over 6″ […]
Mallory Creek Village.45 bedrock mortars in a small village on a shelf above Mallory Creek.18 cupules at one bedrock mortar station.Elevation 655 ft.This is a beautiful site in a secluded glade.Look for the old Indian trail leading to sites further up Mallory Creek.Bob stands in a possible housepit.How much dirt has washed down on this […]
Upper Welch Creek Road5 bedrock mortars and 15 cupules, three on a secondary rock.Elevation 2180 ft.Thanks to Bill and Lou for turning us on to this site.The headwaters of Indian Joe Creek rise right across the road.This is one of our few drive up (or pedal up) sites.A closer look at some of the cupules […]
