The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
In the Cowiche Valley, there are several rock-slide graves, but these
seem to have been rifled. Northeast of the fair grounds at North Yakima,
the remains of an underground house are said to exist. A short distance
east of Tampico, about 18 miles above the mouth of the Ahtanum, on the
north side of the river and east of the road from the north where it
meets the river road and immediately across it from the house of Mr.
Sherman Eglin, was a grave located in a volcanic dome left by the wind,
which Mr. Eglin pointed out to us. The site is about 600 feet north of
the north branch of the Ahtanum and about fifteen feet above the level
of the river. A pile of rocks about eight feet in diameter covered this
grave, No. 25, p. 160. On the land of Mr. A. D. Eglin, between the
above-mentioned grave and Tampico on the north side of the road were
seen the signs of two graves, destroyed by plowing. Near here, an oblong
mound six or eight inches high and ten feet wide by eight feet long,
supposedly covering a grave, marked by a stone on the level at each side
and each end, 12 and 16 feet apart respectively was reported by Mr.
Eglin's son. A little distance further north and up the slope of the
land, were a number of volcanic ash heaps left by the wind. The
surrounding land is what is locally known as "scab land." In some of
these knolls, graves have been found and one which has been explored is
shown in Fig. 2, Plate IX. It is located near the pasture gate, and was
marked by a circle of stones as shown in the figure. On excavating,
nothing was found. It is possible that the remains were entirely
disintegrated. Graves in rock-slides on hill sides, and a village site
near this place were reported by Mr. Eglin's son. Along the north side
of Ahtanum Creek between Ahtanum and Tampico, below the rim rock of the
uplands parallel to the creek are a number of rock-slide graves.
On the western side of Union Gap, through which the Yakima River flows,
below the mouth of Ahtanum Creek, a short distance below Old Yakima, on
a little flat or terrace projecting from the south side of Rattle Snake
Range is a modern Indian cemetery surrounded by a fence. To the east of
Union Gap, on the northwestern slope of Rattle Snake Range, we examined
some rock-slide graves which had been made since the advent of objects
of white manufacture. A mile or so south of Union Gap not far from the
uplands to the east of the river was a ridge of earth extending north
and south nearly parallel with the river road. This, however, I believe
may be the remains of some early irrigation project. On the west side of
the Yakima River about two miles south of Union Gap was seen a summer
lodge made by covering a conical framework with mats.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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