Found a site in California yesterday Lots of mortar bowls and quartz

[intensecrasher]

I went out walking yesterday and found a site. This place is really cool. I counted 17 mortar bowls carved into the granite and found quarts chips everywhere. I didn't find any whole or broken points. Not sure yet who owns the land so I left everything where it was at. Just took pictures. I have a feeling the land is owned by the state. It is really close to a track of homes and there are a lot of dirt bike trails and foot prints from hikers. I doubt many people even know its there. I would have never found it if i didn't walk about 50 yards off the trail up into the boulders!

 

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[curious kat]

That is very interesting & great pictures. It does look like you were maybe one of the first to find it alright! There's another place in CA where these rock holes are, but well know...called "Indian Rock Camp" in Lake Arrowhead, use to go there a lot. ...but, be careful around there.....

 

[intensecrasher]

Thanks Curious Kat. I have been to Lake Arrowhead many times but didn't know that was there. I will have to look for it next time! Yeah, I hear ya on the snakes. I took a metal hiking stick with me yesterday and today and I kinda poke around in front of me as I walk. I HATE snakes!

Today I looked in a new place about a quarter mile from the site pictured above. No mortar holes but I did find a lot of chips amongst the boulders. This time the chips were all flint...I'm getting closer

 

[CA_Vermonster]

Very cool. Not sure where in CA you are, but we have a nice site on National Forest land down here in northern SD county that has a bunch of those. It's one big slab of rock, with 10-11 distinct bowls. Always a cool find.

 

[intensecrasher]

Very cool. Not sure where in CA you are, but we have a nice site on National Forest land down here in northern SD county that has a bunch of those. It's one big slab of rock, with 10-11 distinct bowls. Always a cool find.

I'm not very far from you if you are in North County. I'm in Riverside county...Temecula, Murrieta Area.

 

[rock]

Thanks for view of that. We dont have them here at least not where I hunt at.

 

[Americus]

Thanks for the look. Very interesting.

 

[curious kat]

Your site sounds good, probably will find some good things there! If you go looking for Indian Rock camp up in Arrowhead, it's not to far out of Deer Lodge Park, just take the only road that goes north down towards the desert, it will be on the right side of road. Or you can google it for directions!

 

[CA_Vermonster]

I'm not very far from you if you are in North County. I'm in Riverside county...Temecula, Murrieta Area.

Cool. Escondido here..... 30 minutes......

 

[intensecrasher]

Cool. Escondido here..... 30 minutes......

Are you referring to the site that is in the San Pasqual Valley...out by the Wild Animal Park? If that is it, I have not been there but want to go!

 

[rockheadhunter421]

Cool looking site. Flint/quartz flake sounds significant to me; I'd like to see what else you can discover. Sounds like there is archaeological evidence all around there. I've never seen mortar bowl made from a natural rock outcrop before; that's interesting. Good luck & happy hunting!

 

[intensecrasher]

Cool looking site. Flint/quartz flake sounds significant to me; I'd like to see what else you can discover. Sounds like there is archaeological evidence all around there. I've never seen mortar bowl made from a natural rock outcrop before; that's interesting. Good luck & happy hunting!

Thanks! I am still trying to figure out who owns the land. There are no buildings on the property and I do not think California has Plat books like other states. I don't want to trespass and I sure as heck do not want to pick up an artifact on state land!

What I found really interesting was the two pictures of the scattered pile of quartz that was on the site. I wonder if that was the source of all the chips that are there? I'm sure it is but it is kind of crazy that it is still intact!

 

[stefen]

There are several similar sites in Idyllwild Village which is a mountain resort above Palm Springs and Hemet.

One is in the Riverside Park Campgrounds and another is located at the end of North Drive. Both sites are located within old Oak groves...the acorn meat was probably ground in the mortors...

Also a lot of ancient heiroglyphics adjacent to both sites...

 

[intensecrasher]

There are several similar sites in Idyllwild Village which is a mountain resort above Palm Springs and Hemet.

One is in the Riverside Park Campgrounds and another is located at the end of North Drive. Both sites are located within old Oak groves...the acorn meat was probably ground in the mortors...

Also a lot of ancient heiroglyphics adjacent to both sites...

I have been camping in Idyllwild several times. Thanks for the info and I will check them out next time I am up there. I was in a museum a few days ago and a guy told be there are petroglyphs in the ares where I was at. I have been back several times but have not found them. In my area, petroglyphs are a series of chevron lines, circles, and arrows. They are ritual markings and commemorate the birth of women, puberty, marriage, and death.

You are right about the oak trees! The Indians ground the acorns for food. I found the site by looking for oak trees and a water source.

The Indians also used the mortar holes to store water. They had round flat rocks (can not remember the name) that they placed over the mortar hole to protect the water and drank it while traveling.

 

[el padron]

Thanks! I am still trying to figure out who owns the land. There are no buildings on the property and I do not think California has Plat books like other states. I don't want to trespass and I sure as heck do not want to pick up an artifact on state land!

What I found really interesting was the two pictures of the scattered pile of quartz that was on the site. I wonder if that was the source of all the chips that are there? I'm sure it is but it is kind of crazy that it is still intact!

That site is a universe removed from all of the human activity that centered around it a long long time ago...... I know less elaborate, but similar sites in East San Diego County, Very cool.
Any California real estate broker with access to something called fidelity Passport can get you most all the information pertaining to just about all parcels in the US.....

 

[intensecrasher]

That site is a universe removed from all of the human activity that centered around it a long long time ago...... I know less elaborate, but similar sites in East San Diego County, Very cool.
Any California real estate broker with access to something called fidelity Passport can get you most all the information pertaining to just about all parcels in the US.....

Thanks El Padron! I never thought of that and I just so happen to have a good friend who is a relator! I think the find is pretty awesome. It's not every day that you walk out into an open space that is otherwise highly populated and find something like this!

 

[monsterrack]

Very cool finds

 

[Tnmountains]

Thanks for sharing something we do not see very often. I would take a metal detector and nugget shoot if you are seeing quartz. Two birds with one stone maybe? Great pictures.