"At 3,609 m. (11,840 ft.) elevation in the White Mountains of Eastern California is a site containing 216 rock features
consisting of cairns, pits, and other stacked-rock constructions but very few artifacts. Two obsidian bifaces, two milling
tools, and lichenometric dating point towards site occupation between 440 and 190 cal B.P., contemporaneous with the
White Mountains Village Pattern, which was marked by intensive seasonal occupations of multi-family groups in the
alpine ecozone of the range. Though the site’s features are similar to facilities associated with artiodactyl hunting across
the American West, their diversity, abundance, and distribution are more consistent with ceremonially-oriented sites on
the Plains, in the Mojave Desert, and especially on the Plateau. This, in conjunction with the site’s setting, suggests that
there were ritual functions associated with the site, and that the ceremonial use of high-altitudes has been overlooked
in the region’s research history."
1 comment :
Interesting they noted how previous researchers had a tendency to leave out ceremonialism and ritual beliefs. This atypical site could actually be typical. They may take a new look at some of these sites. More pieces for the puzzle. Some of the site attributes are similar to what we have in the southeast, such as using bedrock outcrops as a staging area, clustering cairns, small standing stones, pits that may be sterile or "pure" focal points, etc. etc. Good article. I need to read it again. Thx Tim.
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