Wind Wolves Preserve
California
Summer 2010
Discover a stunning part of California: the San Emigdio Mountains These rugged formations lay at the interface between the Mojave, the San Joaquin Valley, and the Coastal Ranges, rich with biological, geologic and cultural heritage. The wind-shaped sandstone caves and shelters contain some of the most spectacular examples of Native American paintings found anywhere in North America. Recent work identified over 106 sites and discovered rock-art fixed at the most valuable environmental nodes in the landscape.
This project will allow you to investigate a series of rock-art sites and link those to ancient utilization of the landscape. You'll excavate several sites attributed to the Chumash and Yokuts tribal cultures. Importantly, the group will also excavate a quarry site containing blue and green mineral seams which were used to create the magnificent local rock art. You'll use cutting-edge laser equipment for scanning and mapping sites.