4 housepits near Bear Gulch This counts as the most remote site we’ve found to date. Murietta Falls is pretty remote too, but people hike there all the time. No one goes to Bear Gulch other than the committed or those that should be. Be prepared to wade across Alameda Creek several times if you […]
South of Prayer CircleBowl mortar, pestle, and slick.This little camp is about 1300′ above sea level.Assuming the pestle went with the bowl mortar, how was it used? Please do not remove the pestle. Leave it for others to enjoy.One should secure permission before visiting this site.
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 […]
South Vargas Plateau3 bedrock mortars.Elevation 1150 ft.A real power spot. Fabulous views. Mission Peak and Upper Alameda Creek in background.One should secure permission before visiting this site.
Benica Quarry #15 bedrock mortarsElevation 140 ft.Look for these mortars on the top rock of a small outcrop.Jim inspects the site.This site is on private property. One should secure permission before visiting it.
Stonebrae, 16th hole5 bedrock mortars on the 16th hole at Stonebrae golf course.Fore! At least they saved this site, a fate not shared by three others that had the misfortune to lie in the path of the Stonebrae development. That’s three we know about. There may have been more.Two of the mortars here are bowls […]
Benica Quarry #220 bedrock mortarsJim examines an unusual mortar rock at this site.This mortar arrangement is a work of art. Note the flaring rim of the far right mortar.This site is on private property. One should secure permission before visiting it.
Suisun Creek Village Suisun City300 yard kitchen middenElevation 146 ft.Bay Area Rock Art Research Association (BARARA) members fan out looking for artifacts. Every time the farmer plows the field more artifacts turn up.This site is on private property. One should secure permission before visiting it.
Chinese Tree of Heaven18 bedrock mortars (including 5 bowl mortars), 3 metates, 2 cupules, incised rocks, rock rectangles, rock walls, and rock-lined pathwaysThe Chinese Tree of Heaven tree (Ailanthus altissima) was introduced to California by the Chinese during the Gold Rush. The presence of this tree along with the dry-laid masonry skill apparent in a […]
Sunol Ridge Prayer CircleStacked-rock prayer circle.Elevation 1664 ft.Our jaws dropped when we saw this near the bottom of a little hollow just below the top of Sunol Ridge.A closer look at the geoglyph.Photograph by Bob BardellPart of the “spine” of this stone circle is a natural rock outcrop.This site is on private property. One should […]
