So I went out the other day with my trusty longbow and camera to get some pics and explore a formerly inhabited ruins site. this is one of my favorite places to go, its right along a dry stream bed and there are a lot of rabbits as well as artifacts. I've found numerous perfectly intact arrowheads and other artifacts like broken knife blades and a piece of hematite once; So I figured I'd take a little hike to see what I could find this time.

It seems that whenever it rains or I stay away for awhile there is more and more to discover, I found a lot on this short 1 hour exploration.


So this is the main site. Its located in the Coppermine Chapter on the Navajo Indian Reservation about 15-20 minutes from Page, AZ. I've found artifacts all up and down the stream but this is the only place that I've found evidence of dwellings. You wouldn't know it unless you were looking for it but I'm pretty sure these piles of rabble are the remnants of Anasazi Pueblos.

The Anasazi (Ancient Enemy in Navajo) are thought by modern archeologists to be the direct ancestors of the Hopi, Zuni and other pueblo tribes. They were a desert archaic nomadic people that wandered into the Four Corners area of the United States about 2000 years ago. No one knows exactly where they came from but they came in small clusters of people, not in one large migration.

At the point in time they came into this area they are under the basketmaker classification. Whenever a significant event took place(the adoption of a new farming technique or the implementation of a new invention, e.g. pottery) archeologists use names like Basketmaker 2, Early Pueblo etc. to show cultural change and progression through different periods of time. My feeling is that this site was inhabited somewhere from 500 AD to 1300 AD (I know its pretty broad but I'm not well versed in archeology), I say this because I've found arrowpoints here and the Anasazi did not adopt use of the bow and arrow until about 500 AD. The Kayenta Anasazi is the specific name of the group of Anasazi in this area.

The Archeological record of the Anasazi (and other tribes in the area like the Sinagua) completely dissapear around 1400 AD. Its thought that a combination of things (drought, warfare, disease, etc.) probably drove them out of the area or killed most of them. So the only decendants that we have left are the aforementioned tribes.


These stone flakes are littered all over this site, they are trash byproduct produced by making other stone tools.

The artifact on the bottom right was a very interesting find for me (my first of this type of artifact). I've concluded (with the help of our own archeologist Mr. DMelone) that this is the bottom part of a metate which is a stone that was used to grind corn and other seeds and berries on. The other stone implement was most likely a scraper or knife blade but could also be a large spear point, whatever it was it is broken now.

This is the time of year that the Narrow leaf Yuccas put off their fruit. Today this is called a Navajo Banana. We don't know what the Anasazi called it but we know they ate it because seeds have been found in their ecscrament (sp?). The fruit is ready to pick when little brown spots are found on the outer skin (a sign of fermentation) they fruit is then roasted, peeled and eaten. I have'nt eaten any yet but I'm told they taste a lot like banana's, I plan on cooking a lot this year when they are all ready. Eating the seeds ground is a very good laxative.


As you can tell this is the tip of a broken arrowhead, the first picture was taken as I found it undisturbed.


Another broken point.

This was also a neat find for me. Picture was taken of the implements undisturbed. This is all trash byproduct as well but the bottom white stone could be one of two things I've concluded. It is big enough (sorry no size comparison) to be a broken tip of a hand axe, it could also be a spear point in the works that the manufacturer gave up on.
[img]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p289/TradBowBoy/Archeohike016.jpg[/img]
This is the dry stream bed that the site is right next to. We are in the middle of a 10 year drought now but I assume this stream used to run year round considering the location of the site.

As you can see this is a very rich site since I found all this in 1 hour of exploring. Here are some other things that I've found there in the past, I've found more than this but these are the only ones I have pics of.
[img]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p289/TradBowBoy/Archeohike007.jpg[/img]
This one had be stumped for a really long time but Dan shed some light on what it may have been; we concluded that its probably a fossil of a fish vertabrae that was found and utilized by the Natives, maybe a bearing (socket) for a bow drill or something.
[img]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p289/TradBowBoy/Archeohike005.jpg[/img]
The point on the right is one I found at this site a few months ago, it is absolutely perfect, I've found about 3 others that are also in perfect shape, no breaks or chips at all. The one on the left is a point that I made for a friend.

Well thats all for today, as always I hope you enjoyed and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Awesome stuff there TBB. I need to get up there and visit sometime. You are a lucky guy to live in a cool place like that.

Come up anytime, I give you the grand tour.

Neat pics, thanks for the "tour". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

awesome

you are fortunate indeed
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

sweet stuff bro!!

I really want to learn how to make a working knife from rock

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing.

Ron, Great stuff! Thanks for posting it here for all to see! Sorry that I did not respond yesterday as I missed this section.

Thanks!!

Dan

Great pics bro and once again brilliant narration, like having my own personal tour !
Must be a great feeling coming across awesome artifacts like those !!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Great pics TradBowBoy

It's great to be able to take a virtual tour to these places. Thanks for the trip!

Nice pix BowBoy, thanx.

awesome pics and story!