Indian Grinding Rock

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=553 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Grinding_Rock_State_Historic_Park Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park preserves an outcropping of marbleized limestone with some 1,185 mortar holes—the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. It is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, 8 miles (13 km) east of Jackson. The park is nestled in a little valley 2,400 feet (732 m) above sea level, with open meadows and large specimens of valley oak that once provided the Miwok peoples of this area with an ample supply of acorns.

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. It was the Indians’ way “ to pass through a country without disturbing anything; to pass and leave no trace, like a fish California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (209) 296-7488. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Indian Grinding Rock SHP Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum 14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road Pine Grove, CA 95665 (209) 296-7488 • www.parks.ca.gov/  igr © 2002 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) through the water or birds through the air.” —Willa Cather, author I ndian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, eight miles east of Jackson. The park is nestled in a small valley 2,400 feet above sea level with open meadows and large valley oaks that once provided Native Americans with an ample supply of acorns. The 135acre park preserves a great outcropping of marbleized limestone with 1,185 mortar holes —  the largest collection of bedrock mortars anywhere in North America. Trails make it easy to explore the meadows and surrounding forest. The Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of Sierra Nevada Indian artifacts. A Miwok village and roundhouse have been reconstructed in the middle of the valley. site, Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park has the only known occurrence of mortars intentionally decorated with petroglyphs. The marble grinding rock is fragile and very susceptible to weathering and chipping. The natural elements are claiming many of the petroglyphs, so please stay off the rock and respect this irreplaceable reminder of indigenous Miwok culture. HISTORY The Miwok The Northern Sierra Miwok, who settled in this area many centuries ago, established their villages alongside the rivers and streams of the Sierra Nevada — from the Cosumnes River on the north to THE GRINDING ROCK AND the Mokelumne River on the south. PETROGLYPHS Other Miwok groups lived to the west Chaw’se is the Miwok word for the as far as Mount Diablo and as far mortar cups that formed in a stone south as Yosemite National Park. slab as the Miwok people pounded The Miwok had a detailed acorns and other seed into meal. understanding of the resources The largest chaw’se example can be available to them, passing this seen at the park. The main grinding knowledge down from generation rock also features 363 petroglyphs — to generation. Deer were the most including circles, animal and human important animal resource, and all tracks, and wavy lines. Some of these parts were utilized. The meat was carvings are thought to be as old used for food; clothing was made as two or three thousand years; from the hide. Antlers, bones, they are now becoming difficult and hooves were used for tools to see. This association of rock and instruments, and the brain art and bedrock mortar pits was used to tan hide. is unique in North America. Plant foods were generally Except for one other small collected and processed by Sculpture of Miwok dancer Bark house museum exhibit women while men trapped, fished, and hunted. All resources were portioned so they would continue to be available, and little or nothing was wasted. For example, a plant called soap root was mashed and used not only as soap, but also to stun and catch fish. Its leaves were eaten fresh, and the bulb could be baked and eaten. The dried, fibrous leaves were bundled and used as a brush. Acorns, the mainstay of the Miwok diet, were gathered in autumn, dried, and stored in large granaries (cha’kas) made of poles interwoven with slender brush stems. Resembling large baskets, the cha’kas were thatched with short boughs of white fir or incense cedar to shed snow and rain and then lined with pine needles and wormwood to repel insects and rodents. Acorns are rich in nutrition, but because they contain a lot of tannin, they are bitter to the taste. To make them edible, the Miwok cracked and shelled them, and placed the acorn meat in the mortar holes (chaw’se) in the large flat limestone outcropping in the meadow to be pounded with a stone pestle to the texture of fine Reconstructed Miwok village meal. The Miwok took the meal to the creekside and poured water through the meal to leach out the tannin. The prepared meal was mixed with water in a large, watertight cooking basket. Hot rocks were added to the acorn mush or

Parque Estatal Histórico Indian Grinding Rock Nuestra Misión La misión de California State Parks es proporcionar apoyo para la salud, la inspiración y la educación de los ciudadanos de California al ayudar a preservar la extraordinaria diversidad biológica del estado, proteger sus más valiosos recursos naturales y culturales, y crear oportunidades para la recreación al aire libre de alta calidad. Era la manera de los “ indígenas pasar a través de un campo sin alterar nada; pasar y no dejar rastro, como un pez a California State Parks apoya la igualdad de acceso. Antes de llegar, los visitantes con discapacidades que necesiten asistencia deben comunicarse con el parque llamando al (209) 296-7488. Si necesita esta publicación en un formato alternativo, comuníquese con interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 Para obtener más información, llame al: (800) 777-0369 o (916) 653-6995, fuera de los EE. UU. o 711, servicio de teléfono de texto. www.parks.ca.gov Indian Grinding Rock SHP Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum 14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road Pine Grove, CA 95665 (209) 296-7488 • www.parks.ca.gov/  igr © 2002 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) través del agua o las aves a través del aire”. —Willa Cather, autor E l Parque Histórico Estatal Indian Grinding Rock está ubicado en las laderas de la Sierra Nevada, ocho millas al este de Jackson. El parque está enclavado en un valle pequeño 2,400 pies sobre el nivel del mar con praderas abiertas y grandes robles de los valles que una vez proporcionaron un amplio suministro de bellotas a los indígenas estadounidenses. El parque de 135 acres preserva un gran afloramiento de piedra caliza marmoleada con 1,185 agujeros de mortero; la colección más grande de morteros en lecho de roca de toda América del Norte. Los senderos facilitan la exploración de las praderas y el bosque circundante. El Museo Indígena Regional Chaw’se presenta una variedad de exposiciones y una colección excepcional de objetos de los indígenas de Sierra Nevada. Una aldea Miwok y una casa redonda se han reconstruido en el medio del valle. que algunos de estos tallados tienen dos o tres mil años de antigüedad; ahora se está haciendo difícil verlos. Esta asociación de La roca de molienda marmoleada es frágil y muy susceptible al clima y al desprendimiento. Los elementos naturales están dañando muchos de los petroglifos, así que manténgase alejado de la roca y respete este recordatorio irremplazable de la cultura indígena Miwok. arte en la roca y las fosas de morteros en lecho de roca es única en América del Norte. Salvo otro sitio pequeño, el Parque Histórico Estatal Indian Grinding Rock es el único donde hay morteros decorados de manera intencional con petroglifos. HISTORIA Los Miwok Los Miwok del norte de la Sierra, quienes se asentaron en esta área LA ROCA DE MOLIENDA Y muchos siglos atrás, establecieron LOS PETROGLIFOS sus aldeas junto a los ríos y Chaw’se es la palabra Miwok para corrientes de la Sierra Nevada; los morteros que se formaban en desde el Río Cosumnes en el norte, una losa de piedra a medida que hasta el Río Mokelumne en el sur. los Miwok golpeaban bellotas y otras Otros grupos de Miwok vivieron en semillas para obtener alimentos. el oeste hasta el Monte Diablo El ejemplo más grande de un y tan al sur como en el Parque chaw’se se puede ver en el parque. Nacional Yosemite. La roca de molienda principal Los Miwok tenían una también posee 363 petroglifos; comprensión detallada los cuales incluyen círculos, de los recursos a su huellas animales y humanas y disposición y transmitieron líneas onduladas. Se piensa este conocimiento de Escultura de bailarín Miwok. Exposición del museo de casa de corteza generación en generación. Los ciervos eran el recurso animal más importante y todas sus partes se utilizaban. La carne se usaba como alimento; la vestimenta se hacía con el cuero. Los cuernos, huesos y cascos se usaban para construir herramientas e instrumentos y el cerebro se usaba para curtir el cuero. Generalmente, las mujeres recolectaban y procesaban los alimentos vegetales mientras que los hombres atrapaban animales, pescaban y cazaban. Todos los recursos eran racionados para que siguieran estando disponibles y se gastaba muy poco o nada. Por ejemplo, una planta llamada jabonera se aplastaba y se usaba no solo como jabón, sino también para aturdir y atrapar peces. Sus hojas se comían frescas y el bulbo se podía hornear y comer. Las hojas secas y fibrosas se ataban y se usaban como cepillo. Las bellotas, el pilar de la dieta de los Miwok, se recogían en otoño, se secaban y se almacenaban en graneros grandes (cha’kas) hechos de varas entretejidas con tallos delgados. Con un parecido a canastos grandes, los cha’kas se tejían con Aldea Miwok reconstruida ramas cortas de abeto blanco o cedro de incienso para repeler la nieve y el agua de lluvia y luego se forraban con agujas de pino y ajenjo para repeler los insectos y los roedores. L

Wel ! come Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park 14881 Pine Grove - Volcano Road • Pine Grove, CA. 95665 • (209) 296-7488 Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills eight miles east of Jackson, nestled in a little valley 2,400 feet above sea level. The park’s large valley oaks once provided the native Americans of this area with an ample supply of acorns. Created in 1968, the park preserves a great outcropping of marbleized limestone with some 1,185 mortar holes—the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. THE VISITOR CENTER has displays, brochures, and sales items available. Brochures and hiking maps are also available at the entrance station. THE CHAW’SE REGIONAL INDIAN MUSEUM features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of Sierra Nevada Indian artifacts. A Miwok village complete with a ceremonial roundhouse has been reconstructed in the middle of the small valley. ENVIRONMENTAL CAMP RESERVATIONS can be made by visiting www.parks. ca.gov and filling out the reservation form on the Indian Grinding Rock SHP page. All other campsites are available first-come, first served. The park is open for camping all year but is subject to closure during special events or times of heavy snowfall. The environmental camp is closed seasonally from December through February. © 2007 California State Parks CHECKOUT TIME is noon. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers, regardless of the time of day or night. NOISE: Radios and other sound-producing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day or night. Engine-driven generators or other devices are not to be operated between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. PETS are restricted to the camp and picnic areas and must be on a leash and attended at all times. Dogs are not permitted on the trails, and must be confined in a vehicle or tent at night. FIREWOOD is available for purchase or you may bring your own. Please do not collect dead or down wood, as it is an essential part of the park’s natural recycling systems. Also, no ground fires are allowed. ATTENTION! Poison oak is found in nearly all areas of the park. “Leaves of three—let them be!” The western black-legged tick, which has been known to carry Lyme disease, occurs in the park and is especially active in the late winter to early summer. Also, please beware of yellowjackets. Check bulletin boards near restrooms or with staff for more information. Discover the many states of California.TM Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park North Trail U’macha’tam’ma’ Environmental Living/Group Camp Lo op Trai l ra il Historic Farmhouse T No rth Else Grinding Rock & Petroglyphs Reconstructed Miwok Village Granary Practice House Ceremonial Roundhouse Indian Game Field 11 Bark Houses Game House Sou th Nature 14 9 8 17 7 16 Trail © 2007 California State Parks Campfire Center Environmental Camp Ranger Station 5 20 23 Residence 3 2 22 Map not to scale. LEGEND Picnic Area 6 19 21 e rov ad Ro Parking 4 18 Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum eG Pin o an olc V - Gate 12 15 ek Cre Accessible Feature 10 13 Entrance Station 1 Restroom Special Event Food Stand Registration Station Telephone For emergencies dial 9-1-1.