The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
After passing the top of the divide, to the left of the trail from
Ellensburg to Priest Rapids, chips and fragments of variegated float
quartz suitable for chipped implements were found. This apparently
marked a place where a fragment of float rock had been broken up, but
fine fragments were hardly numerous enough to indicate that the place
had been a shop site, or at least a large one. The quantity of material
broken up, judging from the amount of refuse, was small. On the western
side of the Columbia, at the base of the basaltic rocks where they meet
the bottom-land, perhaps a mile from the river were rock-slide graves in
the talus slope. At the head of Priest Rapids, the river turns towards
the west and then southward, flowing close to the southern end of this
escarpment. On the flat, at the very head of Priest Rapids, the river,
during high water had washed out the remains of a village or camp site,
where pestles and animal bones were numerous. A short distance above
this, in a low ridge near the river were some modern graves some of
which were marked with sticks at the head and foot. The bodies, judging
from the mounds of earth, were laid full length and many, if not all of
them, judging from the size of the head and foot sticks, were placed
with the feet towards the east. Perhaps a mile above here near the home
of Mr. Britain Everette Craig, several large and deep pits, the sites of
ancient semi-subterranean houses were seen. Above and near his house,
the river had washed out what was apparently a village site, and perhaps
a few graves. Here was found the small fresh water shell heap, shown in
Fig. 1, Plate V, and the pile of flat oval pebbles which probably marked
a cooking place, shown in Fig. 2. On the west beach of the Columbia at
Sentinal Bluffs perhaps another mile further up the river, notched
sinkers and other indications of a camp or fishing ground were found.
On the eastern side of the river near the head of Priest Rapids some
material was found on the surface of the beach where the floods of the
river had uncovered it. A mile or more above here, pecked on the
basaltic columns of Sentinal Bluffs, which may be seen in both figures
of Plate V were a number of petroglyphs, shown in Plate XI and described
on page 121. Those shown in Fig. 1, photographed from the west, are on
the columns to the east of the road, blasted through the rocks at this
point, and perhaps fifteen feet from the river. Those in Fig. 2,
photographed from the north, are to the west of the road on the columns
which rise abruptly from the river. Some specimens and indications of
habitation were found scattered between this point and the mouth of Crab
Creek, the bed of which was dry in most places when we visited it.
RESOURCES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account