The Emeryville Shellmound — A Closer Reading

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY Vol. 7 No. 1 THE EMERYVILLE SHELLMOUND BY MAX UHLE BERKELEY THE UNIVERSITY PRESS JUNE, 1907

PART 1. GENERAL REPORT ON THE EXCAVATIONS CONDUCTED BY PROFESSOR.... 1 JOHN C. MERRIAM AND DR. MAX UHLE IN THE SPRING OF 1902...... Introduction................................................ 2 Early Settlements in the Region............................. 5 Early References to Shellmounds of Middle California........ 6 The Nature of the Excavations............................... 7 The Base of the Mound....................................... 9 The Internal Structure...................................... 14 Constituents of the Mound................................... 16 Shells................................................. 16 Bones.................................................. 18 Fireplaces............................................. 19 Human Remains and Relics............................... 19 Burials..................................................... 21 Age of the Mound............................................ 30 Cultural Stages Represented................................. 36

PART 2. ARTIFACTS UNEARTHED AT THE EMERYVILLE SHELLMOUND............ 42 A. Implements of Stone...................................... 42 a. Made by Grinding................................... 42 1. Mortars.......................................... 42 2. Flat Stones...................................... 46 3. Pestles.......................................... 47 4. Hammer-like Stones............................... 49 5. Flat Stones Pointed at Both Ends................. 50 6. Sinker-like Stones............................... 50 7. Cylindrical Stones............................... 56 8. Needle-like Stone Implements..................... 57 9. Tobacco Pipes.................................... 57 10. Various Polished Stones.......................... 59 b. Chipped Stones..................................... 61 B. Utensils of Bone, Horn, and the Teeth of Animals......... 66 Implements of Bone..................................... 66 1. Awl-like Tools................................... 66 a. Common Awls.................................... 66 b. Blunt Awl-like Implements...................... 69 c. Flat Awl-like Implements....................... 69 2. Needle-like Implements........................... 70 a. Straight Needles without Perforation........... 70 b. Curved Needles................................. 70 c. Needles with Eyes.............................. 70 d. Long Crooked Needles........................... 70 3. Rough Awl-like Implements of the Lower Strata.... 71 4. Implements of the Shape of Paper-cutters......... 72 5. Pointed Implements............................... 74 6. Saw-like Notched Bones........................... 76 7. Various Implements and Objects of Bone........... 79 Implements of Antler................................... 80 1. Chisel-like Implements........................... 80 a. Actual Chisels................................. 80 b. Chisel-like Implements of Varying Forms........ 81 2. Implements of Antler with Dull Rounded Ends...... 82 3. Pointed Implements............................... 82 4. Straight Truncated Implements.................... 82 Implements of Teeth.................................... 83 C. Implements Made of Shells................................ 83

California has but few characteristic archaeological remains such as are found in the mounds of the Mississippi valley or the ancient pueblos and cliff-dweller ruins of the South. In the shellmounds along this section of the Pacific coast it possesses, however, valuable relics of very ancient date. These are almost the only witnesses of a primitive stage of culture which once obtained among the early inhabitants of this region.

Some years ago Professor Merriam recognized the necessity of exploring these ancient mounds and represented the facts to the University of California. Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst generously made the undertaking possible by providing ample financial support for the exploration work.

UNIV. CAL. PUB. AM. ARCH. &. ETH. VOL. 7, PL. 1

One of the largest and best preserved shellmounds was selected as the object of the present investigation, which was entrusted to Professor Merriam and the writer. The mound selected is situated on the eastern side of the Bay of San Francisco at Shellmound Station near Emeryville, and is commonly known as the Emeryville mound. At present it forms a conspicuous feature of the recreation grounds known as Shellmound Park (pl. 1).

The water of the bay rises to within 130 feet of the base of the mound (pl. 3) during high tide. The beach is then only one foot above the water level, while the ground in the immediate vicinity of the mound is from two to three feet higher. This ground is quite level and forms a part of an extensive alluvial flat. A small creek, having its source about three miles away, in the hills back of Berkeley, passes the mound on its south side, at a distance of two hundred feet, and empties into the bay. In summer the creek runs dry, but its bed furnishes a channel for subterranean water. Another, lower mound, containing graves, lay on the site of the Emeryville race-track near by, but it has been leveled down during the construction of the track. The shellmound which was the object of the excavation has the form of a truncated cone, with a diameter of 270 feet at its base and 145 feet at the top, and rising 27 feet above the plain. On the north side its foot extends 100 feet farther over the flat, a few feet higher than the level of the ground about it.

Twenty-five or thirty years ago the shore line of the bay lay fifty feet farther out; a pile set at that time is still to be seen at that distance from the beach. It is above the water during high tide and marks the coast line on this side of which floodland was sold by the State. The top of the mound was not at that time crowned by the wooden pavilion which is there at the present time. It was still ungraded, having its natural conical form, and was covered with a wild growth of bushes and brambles. The creek, as yet unregulated, followed its own course and overflowed the land, causing it to become marshy. In the seventies and eighties of the last century, railroad tracks were laid along the eastern side of the mound, and took in a section of its eastern foot. At that time a number of graves and Indian artifacts were discovered. Few of these, however, found their way into the collections of the University, then but recently founded.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN THE REGION.