Are you interested in Oregon’s ancient history? If so, then you might be excited to learn about the archaeological site that’s in south-central Oregon. The East Lake Abert Archaeological Site in Lake County, Oregon is a huge area that represents over 11,000 years of human occupation. This may be hard to believe because this part of our great state is so desolate and empty today, but there are hundreds of prehistoric house pits in this area and archaeologists have found petroglyphs, pictographs, tools, stone hearths, and more. It’s really amazing to think about the people who lived here so long ago. Read on to learn more!
Lake Abert is a large but shallow lake in Lake County, Oregon. Due to its alkalinity, no fish can live in it. However, it's quite popular with shorebirds who eat the abundant brine shrimp that live in the lake. Most of the visitors to this area are birdwatchers who come to watch those birds as they migrate.
This lake was not always alkaline. Long ago, it was a lake like any other. In fact, it supported a dense population of early humans for thousands of years.
These ancient people fished from the lake and hunted the mammoths, bison, horses, camels, and mountain sheep that came to drink from the lake. Later, as this and other lakes shrank, people were still able to support themselves by hunting the small mammals that lived in this area.
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We don't know much about the people who lived in this area, but they left evidence of their lives behind.
In fact, historians believe that people lived in this area starting at least 11,000 years ago, and continued to live in this area until the mid-1700s.
The most interesting signs of human occupation in this area are the house pits. Along a 12-mile section of the eastern shore of Lake Abert, archaeologists have found at least 21 different villages with over 580 house pits.
They believe people lived in these homes within the last 4,000 years. Some of the homes have fire pits, grinding stones, and flaked stone debris that indicate they made tools.
These spearheads were found in Wisconsin, but they are from a similar time period.
Archaeologists have also found nearly 100 petroglyphs and pictographs in the area. All were on rocks that rolled down this hill from Abert Rim above Lake Abert.
The rock art found includes geometric designs and animals. The animals include rattlesnakes, horned toads, lizards, and others found in the region today.
It’s sometimes hard to imagine that there were people living in Oregon thousands of years ago, but this archaeological site is proof! This is an amazing piece of Oregon’s ancient history and is something interesting to think about. If you visit this area, PLEASE leave things as you found them. It’s important that we save this historical evidence for generations to come.
If you choose to explore this part of the state, be sure to wear some sturdy hiking boots and bring plenty of water. You can get the gear you need at Backcountry!
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