Back home from today's field study course in the western Sierra Nevada. The rock is marble of the late Paleozoic Calaveras Complex...what's going on here??
What's going on here? At the moment you took this image, not much. But in the past, this was one of the most sacred gathering places of the Miwok/Miwuk peoples. Those are mortar holes, and that is Chaw-Se Indian Grinding Rock. There are over 1000 grinding or mortar holes.
When I was a kid, my sisters and I would range all over the mountains east of San Diego, looking for grinding holes. I've always felt a connection with the past there, imagining the social life at these gathering places. Somehow, imagining women grinding and chatting just connects me back in time. Parclair
I learn something new everyday. I did not know that there were grinding holes made by indians. Makes sense I just never knew. That is really pretty cool. I will have to go visit that place.
Those remind me of the cup-rocks in Finland and Estonia, where a group of people (not sure who, sorry) carved these ornate cup-holders into rocks. I heard a talk on these back in Finland, but my Finnish was not stellar at the time, so most of the time I was trying to figure out why the heck they were talking about cup-rocks and if I was translating that right.
It didn't take very long for you all to solve the mystery of the day! The story continues at http://geotripper.blogspot.com/2010/10/other-california-its-real-grindchawse.html
Back home from today's field study course in the western Sierra Nevada. The rock is marble of the late Paleozoic Calaveras Complex...what's going on here??
Looks like either Native or natural made water pockets.
ReplyDeleteHope you got to visit the marble caves.
What's going on here? At the moment you took this image, not much. But in the past, this was one of the most sacred gathering places of the Miwok/Miwuk peoples. Those are mortar holes, and that is Chaw-Se Indian Grinding Rock. There are over 1000 grinding or mortar holes.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my favorite places in the spring.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambitious_wench/487467668/
When I was a kid, my sisters and I would range all over the mountains east of San Diego, looking for grinding holes. I've always felt a connection with the past there, imagining the social life at these gathering places. Somehow, imagining women grinding and chatting just connects me back in time. Parclair
ReplyDeleteI learn something new everyday. I did not know that there were grinding holes made by indians. Makes sense I just never knew. That is really pretty cool. I will have to go visit that place.
ReplyDeleteI know(raising hand) it is for making swiss cheese:)Or they have super gophers and those are their holes.
ReplyDeleteDoug N
Those remind me of the cup-rocks in Finland and Estonia, where a group of people (not sure who, sorry) carved these ornate cup-holders into rocks. I heard a talk on these back in Finland, but my Finnish was not stellar at the time, so most of the time I was trying to figure out why the heck they were talking about cup-rocks and if I was translating that right.
ReplyDeleteIts where the aliens make the "moon cheese", I asked someone that had been to the oregon caves and they think it was flow stone.
ReplyDeletedoug N
It didn't take very long for you all to solve the mystery of the day! The story continues at http://geotripper.blogspot.com/2010/10/other-california-its-real-grindchawse.html
ReplyDelete