The Discovery of California Megalithic Structures: The Geology and Geomorphology of the Artificial

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The recent discovery of megalithic structures on the central coast of California was accomplished by geologic analysis of mounds and stone piles on the crest of Tomales Point in the Point Reyes National Seashore. These features were generally ignored by both geologists and archaeologists because at a distance they look like bedrock outcrops. However, the presence of two stone lines in the area suggested that prehistoric builders were active there. To test this hypothesis an analysis of the geomorphology surrounding the lines was conducted. Geomorphology indicates that this location on Tomales Point is unique to the region and supports the hypothesis. A detailed geologic examination of select mounds further supported the idea and revealed evidence of previous construction activity. Confirmation of the presence of early visitors to the site was provided by the discovery of a circular cut into bedrock that appears to be a former roundhouse foundation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 35611.0