This site is located next to a small creek in historical Tübatulabal territory.
These pictographs are found in a rather large rock shelter, further protected by smaller boulders in front of the pictograph area.
The ceiling of this tall shelter shows substantial soot accumulation, suggesting extensive use. However I found only a single, rather shallow mortar grind hole nearby. It is located on a small boulder in the far northeast part of the shelter, well clear of the pictograph area.
This site is about 300 or so yards east from the “Ghost Dance” pictograph site, at a somewhat higher elevation.
Unlike the “Ghost Dance” site, which is isolated, this site is on the edge of a prehistoric Tübatulabal habitation site, as shown by extensive lithic scatter and bedrock mortars.
A view of the small opening at the back of the shallow shelter that hosts the pictograph. Note the soot streaks on the ceiling of the shelter.
The pictograph is located in a small shelter at the upper edge of the habitation site. The shelter shows extensive soot deposits from fire. The ceiling of the area with soot deposits is not very tall, and the lip of the shelter extending beyond the soot affected area is probably too shallow to have made it a good habitation area.
This site was quite a challenge to find, being out of the way and located on a single boulder in an area with many, many boulders.
The pictographs are under the overhang on the boulder to the right.
After first finding it on an overcast day, I then had the painful experience of being stuck with photos that didn’t really come out, so I had to trek back one last time.
The site sits above a small ephemeral drainage that in turn feeds into an east-west running seasonal creek.
This little gem was an accidental discovery: I had caught wind of the presence of a pictograph cave in the vicinity and was availing myself of an opportunity to look for it. Since the Volcanic Tablelands are known for petroglyphs, not pictographs, I was interested to see what the pictographs in this area looked like!
( In fact, I know of only three pictograph sites in this area, and they are all within a few miles of each other, suggesting a cultural intrusion into this area. )