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On
Wednesday September 14th Rich Steffensen and Mike White went to a local (Calaveras
County) area and photographed and documented some Indian Mortar grinding holes on
some property that may be sold or may change hands soon. We feel that all such historical
sites should be documented and recorded to help insure they can be protected for
the future whether it be from development or from simply being forgotten about and
left to be covered over or destroyed later on in the future.
The site appears to be quite significant looking at its mortar sizes and number of
mortars in the small area. We found 28 mortars in all, the average size was 6"deep
by 6"wide. Some were as large as 10"deep by 7"wide. They lie in a
beautiful valley with huge oak trees and natural springs that run water all year
long. Just more proof of the Indians wisdom and knowledge of the land.
I
feel that we as cavers and conservation minded people should do our part to assure
that these areas are protected. Sometimes that may mean keeping the whole area secret,
but sometimes that may mean going to planning commission meetings and advising the
local board of supervisors and the planning dept. as well as the developers of the
land that these types of things exist on the property and need to be protected and
preserved.
If
people look at it intelligently they will see that there is almost always a way to
protect such things as caves or Indian burials and old rancherias with mortars or
maybe old historic rock walls and buildings that are so common to the motherlode
area.
It was nice to get out for a day and breath in some fresh air. Rich is recovering
from foot surgery and I am recovering from a broken collarbone so we have both been
kind of stuck close to home trying to recover. I know this isn't a caving report,
but it was two cavers enjoying the great outdoors!
Mike
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Photos by Mike White
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