Artifact of the Week: Donut Stones
A very unique object found at La Jolla Tradition sites is donut stones. These are finely crafted tools that must have required hours of work. The exact use of donut stones is unknown. It is thought that these were used…
From Inside the Vaults: Museum Housekeeping and Gallery Maintenance
From Inside the Vaults is a monthly blog that gives insight into best practices for collections stewardship, curation, and archaeological collecting institutions. What Does Housekeeping Look Like for Museums and Collecting Institutions? How is it different from our typical at-home…
Artifact of the Week: Grinding Tools
Grinding tools of granitic stone were common for the Late Prehistoric Tradition. Local inhabitants used them to grind clay in preparation for pottery, acorns, and other foodstuffs. About 3,500 years ago, the region experienced a long period of widespread drought,…
Artifact of the Week: Stone Bowl-Mortar
Stone bowl mortars were the perfect tool for processing acorns, which had to be pounded into a meal and rinsed to remove bitter tannin. Mortars were also carved into bedrock near oak trees. Bowl mortars were more portable and could…
