Death Valley 2022/23

[Beardilocks]

A quick trip here to another undisclosed location.   There are three distinct habitation sites (not all shown here) and another small shelter, the later being adorned with several generations of beautiful pictographs. It appears this area was used seasonally for a long time.  To my knowledge it has not been excavated. 

Slab-lined fire pit.  


Well used Metate.   I’m curious about the stippling on the surface and in the bowl. What that a technique to make grinding certain things easier?  I’ve seen my fair share of smooth ones, but not many textured like this.  Perhaps there’s another reason. 


Here’s a flat stone chipped in a similar way.  On its own I would have thought it was used to practice chipping or tool making for creating petroglyphs.  But together with the metate I'm unsure.  



Wall and shelter area 



A few near by petroglyphs. 



This pattern is similar to flat stone on the ground.  Coincidence?  Is there a story being told here that was practiced on the flat stone? Or just random doodling in both cases? This one seems to be two ages (patination change) and looks like various types of weather?