Washoe Lake Tahoe Region California / Nevada

[south fork]

Sheltering in place and reading PDF files . Talking about cultural aspects of the people central sierras centered around Lake Tahoe region . I just skimmed through about 170 pages and this statement at the end tells me maybe they need to study my collection . All trails to the east from home pass right through the Washoe region and most of the point types from Tilly's Hill are found on both sides of the hill and lithic types .

Ethnographic data indicate that the Washoe may have been

predominantly matrilocal (Lowie 1939: 308), which is consistent with this hypothesis.

Further development of this descriptive hypothesis would require modeling

environmental variables specifically to generate mathematical predictions subject to

empirical testing. This work lies ahead.

It is not likely that archaeologists will ever find a satisfactory “smoking-gun”

indicating any particular cultural affiliation with people on either side of the mountain.

By sketching together hypotheses such as the one roughed about above, it will be

possible to generate specific and testable hypotheses about cultural affiliation,

adaptation, and displace

[Hal Gorges]

Its a shame the gap between pros and Avocational archeologists can’t be bridged, and never will be ..the folks that are hurt by this are the citizens who are supposed to benefit from the public servant side of the equation..Nuff said for now. P.s.my personal opinion as always.

[south fork]

I was reading a story by a national park ranger talking about my fathers people around 1920 . Collecting stories from the elders when talking to the women they always described the trip from the east side . To collect Acorns on the west side and make camp . A lot warmer on the west side of the Sierras in the winter maybe early snows and they just stayed ?

[gregszybala]

Your collections is unique. Maybe it would be worth feeling out a couple of archaeologists to see if they would understand the value of what you have found and what it offers to the above.

[tomf]

I'm sure your collection would be of deep interest to anybody try understand archeology of the region. Particularly as you are in an area that marks a cultural border between California and Great Basin.
Surface find collections from a specific area, even without any accompanying data (precise location or site association), must be of significant value to an overall survey of assemblages.
I'm curious how much you have figured out about Tilly's Hill yourself?

[tomf]

Not implying you don't catalog you stuff BTW. Just making a point.

[south fork]

I don't catalog but everything is kept separated and 90% is cased up . The Tilly's Hill site and the Apple Hill site were unique both were Paleo To late historic . I have photos of most of my finds from both sites that were on opposite sides of the south fork of the American river drainage . All private property and a smaller collection of local finds and off my property I'm still organizing my great basin finds mostly private ranch finds still a work in progress . And have a lot of photos from the same sites from my late hunting partner Artifact Jack .

[tomf]

I didn't know there was paleo in that area. Sites like those are a huge opportunity to see the complete sequence.
Other than you and Jack, have they been studied?

Also curious what percentage of your finds you are able to type or attribute to a particular period?

[south fork]

Find an old homestead or goldrush camp around here and it's almost certain to be on top of an old village or camp . already cleared by fall burning and good source of water nearby and lots of food sources . I find that its more of a cultural mixing than a border a lot of tribes came together to trade and the seasonal movement up or down from the high country down into the valleys .

[tomf]

That the best spots for living were already occupied when settlers arrived makes sense. Eviction followed in short order.

Borders were porous to trade and we know that groups shared some resources but somehow neighboring groups maintained distinct cultural traits over extremely long periods. That is fascinating.