Finding Lost Civilizations - An Educational Series. Trek with me to a Highway divider in San Benito County - California, which contains a Native American site to a people known as the Amah Mutsun
Alex, as an indigenous person I know that Natives were the ones to put those holes 🕳 into the rock. I don’t believe they were for robbers as the article stated they were. During those times genocide was going on for some of our people. They were eliminating the Natives for the resources they found on the land. Gold was big in the west. I also know that many routes of the people, trading routes, hunting routes, are used to this day that have become highways and byways. The Chumash have changed a route that had a highway number I believe and turned it to Chumash way. My question is this. Why when ruins or grinding stones are found, why are they not memorialized to give acknowledgement to those who went before? That we were here, living, raising families, enjoying our villages. There is evidence that we were here, but why erase us as if we lived only thousands of years before? Up till 1958 the Indian removal act was going on. In 1970 the small Rancheria of Miwok lands were taking away by the Boise company, then sold and a man made lake put over the village lodge at what was then know as Big Creek in Groveland, that is now Pine Mountain Lake. I have evidence of mortars adjacent to this in Big Oak flat. Every video you make says loudly “WE WERE HERE!” What is NOT spoken is WHY we are gone. Mark Charles, a knowledgeable Navajo brother has spoken on the “document of discovery” that has been used to this day to take lands away from us. Your viewers should watch, and they will know what has happened to us. I truly love your show, I really do! I just know with every grinding rock you find tells our story that we just didn’t disappear, but we were banished! History is not pretty.
US history, pretty much all of it is pretty shameful. I might be called a socialist for agreeing with statements in this comment, but that is what the elites do.
@@toolmike100 The point is plaques and memorials are already in California parkland that paint a picture of a vast and vacant land just waiting for colonists to arrive. As if people were never even here. The reason is few wish to publicly acknowledge the genocide and land theft that occurred. The trees were more valuable than gold. The truth should be told on existing memorials that's all.
I began watching your videos when I was in 7th grade, on the couch bundled in a blanket, sometimes watching and listening, sometimes just listening, eyes closed, enjoying the narration and info and teaching. It’s been…. 9, near 10 years since then (I’m 21 now), and I still come back around now and then, to check in, and am always reminded, the adventure continues, it’s a journey that never ends. Thanks for the trek Alex, in the days prior, this day, and all the days to come.
I grew up in Hollister. I know that exact boulder and that exact spot on the highway. I've driven by that boulder hundreds of times as a kid going back and forth from Hollister to Monterey and back. I never knew there was Native American history to it. Awesome! 😃👍
Hello Alex...I am a tribal member of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of Ohlone Costanoan Indians from San Juan Bautista. If you provide me with your email address I can get you in touch with our tribal historian. He may be able to provide you with a bit more detail on "the rocks". From my understanding my great grandmother used to play close to this area when she and her siblings were children.
Wow! She’s a national treasure and your family! Her stories are important especially during modern times. It would be amazing to hear from her & learn our California Culture.
Trina, are they really mortars? I never believed that, I always thought that they were more. I lived out there for a while, and loved the NDN ways out there, and the heat and the smells of the oak...
@@redhouse1002 I've never been convinced that these are mortars myself. They look all wrong ergonomically. Are there alternative explanations? What has been proposed?
Just down the road a little ways is the Harbor at moss landing and elk horn slough. On the south side of the bridge Is another native site. Our archaeology class from cabrillo college stopped there on a field trip back around 1990. Such an interesting class. So many sites everywhere since it has been inhabited for many thousands of years.
Alex that place has always made my imagination run wild when I see those large rock formations. So glad you went out there to investigate that place so many of us just drive by. There is another formation to the east you need to explore
This popped up on my feed and I watched it because I grew up in South Pasadena California. As the 110 freeway travels from my town into the Los Angeles basin there are Native American incised steps and mortars in some of the rocks beside the freeway. They always fascinated me as a kid.
Just a great video. I am one of many people who has driven by this site. As a child I was driven by this area many times and I was always drawn with the anticipation of what I might spot. I traveled from New Mexico to see relatives in the Salinas valley every summer. When taken through Prunedale and up north through San Jose and beyond, this site was always more interesting than going to Great America. Interestingly to me this is the America I love. I have always had a theory that large boulders like these draw our human curiosity and that is an instinct we all have as humans. There has never been any doubt in my mind that Native American cultures had been through there. I have never physically been there myself to check out there area but it’s good to see someone has done so and now proven my theory of Native American footprints in this area. That dog sure was a cutie! In my adult life I have visited many sites like these in NM and have always been fascinated by them they way Alex portrays. New Mexico is “the land of enchantment “. Come this way you will not be disappointed. I have many many areas to explore with lots of motars and petroglyphs. My favorite thing to do is search for them on my down time. I am subscribed to your channel. Keep up the good work.
I used to make that commute through that exact route. My buddies and me called it "The Crossing" for it seemed at times you entered another dimension through the canopy of trees. Its hard to explain. But it was what it is.............
I record rock art sites in the Southeast U.S. and the cupule sites are similar to those in California. They are usually found at a unique landscape or water feature.
This is very interesting. I do not have any connections to this historical site. But I had a feeling that it was a sacred site for Natives at ~ 8:00 mins of this video, when you mentioned the view to the east on the cliff of the Rock. As I have come from the east, our ancestors/grandparents taught us to lay our heads facing to the east/sunrise when we sleep. For that reason, it seems to me that people climbed up on that Rock to worship the Spirit facing the east/sunrise. It's just my opinions.
Can’t imagine all that in the middle of a highway, hopefully the dog had a happy reunion, thanks for sharing, that giant rock reminded me of a beached whale😎😎😎
Hello Greatbasinman, thanks for watching. When I was researching that site with the Historical Society I was told that High School kids from the local area used to call it the Elephant Rock.........alex
Too funny... I used to go there with some local friends when I lived near there and we would do ritual on the top of that space we would meet there and look at the stars and look at the Moon and look at the Sun and worshipping celebrate the Great Wheel as it turned I find it so totally awesome that's the place you're talking about. Thank you Alex for sharing this Robin
Highway Robber's chasing after a quick buck wouldn't have had the patience. The answer lies in a better understanding of the large indentation at the top.
I agree. Robbers would not have spent valuable time carving out steps. The "Robber barrons" did it was the easiest explanation. It's one that also lessens any cultural significance. Native American sites were/are not acknowledged or outright destroyed. There was/is a desire by some to pretend the land was devoid of any Natives (especially in California) and thus unclaimed and free for the taking. That is what makes Alex's vids actually priceless.
Thank you, Alex. We love your stories, images and videos. I’m so pleased that you continue to share your knowledge, information and adventures as you explore the paths of the ancients. Cheers from central Oklahoma!
Those ''cupules'' were carved so they had importance , maybe they represent a member of the clan and were created when a baby was born . A way to remember all who were before them as well .
Further north in Mendocino I've seen a magic spot with a singing rock, it has a shelf that rings when beaten with a stick. It is covered in small holes by the women of the wylaki when they wanted to have a child. Also carved by European folk later on. It's on an old stage coach route called Bell Springs rd. NE Mendocino outside Layton laytonville.
Passing by “the rocks” I would always be drawn to them. I am in awe with the ancient history you have uncovered!!! I will not look at those great boulders the same anymore! 🌟
The "Indian Trails" in my area of Pa. eventually became the "turn-pikes" and roads. I've often had the theory that many of these trails started out as animal trails that were convenient for the Native Americans to use.
The original El Camino Real went through the rocks, and Rock Road is the last discernible length of the mission road along that stretch going to San Juan Bautista which hasn't been altered by the different highways that have been cut through the area. It was supposed to be an area fraught with highway robbers, but it's anyone's guess who made the holes. A close examination might shed some light on what kind of tools might have been used to make the holes. It is obviously a powerful place that has drawn people to it over the ages. Thanks for sharing your discoveries.
The original el Camino real went through San Juan Grade/Salinas road onto The Alameda In San Juan Batista onto what is now the San Juan highway. Rocks road wasn't commented to the mission trail or the El Camino
So not true. San Juan Grade was built in 1914 or 1915 as the original path of Hwy 101. If you look at the geography of the area you will notice that both Old Stage Road and San Juan Grade are steep and hilly roads. The original El Camino Real went through the lower foothills, a much flatter and wider road that would have been better to move livestock and freight wagons. El Camino Real did go up to Natividad (the original one in Crazy Horse Canyon (the real one), and roughly up Crazy Horse Canyon Road (not a canyon), and likely followed the present location of Dunbarton Road to where it connects to San Juan Road, then roughly following what is today the roadbed of today's 101. The Rocks was a notorious bottle-neck on the road, and considered a dangerous passage, and as The Rocks Road is the most direct road to San Juan Bautista from that point, it was the section of road that was used by El Camino Real
@@Typesticker1860 so what you're saying is the San Juan trail (the original el Camino) which you can hike through the mountains from Salinas to San Juan to this very day is just labeled historic at random and rocks road is actually left out of text and written history?
I think you are conflating the three roads. The first road, which followed an indigenous trail was what is today called the de Anza Trail, but has been known for close to 200 years as Old Stage Road. It is a very narrow and steep road that has hardly been improved from a dirt path that originally went down the Salinas Valley to Soledad and points south on the East side of Gavilan Creek and also east of the Salinas River. It was largely abandoned when in the original Hwy 101 was put though the foothills slightly to the north, with an engineered roadbed that was designed for automobile travel - that road is what we know today as San Juan Grade, which, as a through roadway from Old Natividad to San Juan Bautista didn't exist until about 1915. The El Camino Real from Carmel and Monterey to the east followed Hwy 68 and across the plain that Salinas was eventually built upon 80 years later to the location of what was the community of Old Natividad which was built as a convenient location for travelers to stop for the night. The community of Natividad existed before Salinas, and the road was eventually called San Juan Grade Road after it had been graded by the highway department. It was largely the straight road it is today, because it didn't have the geographical obstacles all the other roads had. El Camino Real turned north from Old Natividad in Crazy Horse Canyon (which is located along Gavilan Creek not along the Crazy Horse Canyon Road) at roughly the intersection of todays Crazy Horse Canyon Road and San Juan Grade at Laguna Lake. Remember San Juan Grade didn't exist as a through road at the time, but was a local trail for the Ranchos in that immediate area. The roadbed of El Camino Real is totally obscured today at the point where it turned away from Crazy Horse Canyon, and today follows CH Canyon Rd. and Hwy. 101 before it turned back towards San Juan Bautista on The Rocks Road. El Camino followed a much more level road that had to be wider as I said earlier for heavier traffic between the missions. San Juan Grade didn't exist before about 1915, and Old Stage Road was too narrow and steep for the commercial mission traffic. If you happen to look east across the Salinas Valley towards Fremont Peak, just to the north of the peak is a rounded peak called Sugarloaf (once it was called Natividad Hill), just to the left of the quarry, which slightly to the left denoted the location of Old Natividad, and you can see that an easier road to San Juan Bautista had to travel through the lower foothills further north (where Hwy. 101 is today). If you have driven San Juan Grade you will know it was a difficult road for foot and animal traffic. You can no longer drive on Old Stage Road all the way to SJB from Salinas, but the part that you can drive is a very difficult and narrow road that easily transports one to the mission era, as it has changed very little in all the years in question. . @@IamChuca710
This is so awesome and Im only halfway thru the video.. Iv driven by that rock(that gets spray painted) so many times, it's right before the big red barn I think.. or right after? I can't see anybody going thru the effort to carve those foot holds in the rock unless you're going up there on a regular basis.. Ceremonial stuff or something.. As teens we would motorbike in the Gilroy hills and now I wonder how much of that history I drove right ove... by.. I mean by.. how much history I drove by without noticing. That thought makes me sad. Thank you so much Alex for sharing this stuff.
I love your videos Brother. I live in Oroville California. Along the banks of the Feather River one can find many milling sites. Dozens of mortars. This is the area where Ishi came out of hiding and got together with many anthropologists and archeologists to give the settlers (us) his story. I've only been in this area for about 6 years and I really enjoy exploring and learning about the Maidu culture and history. Thanks for the video. Cheers and fair winds. P.S. congratulations on making a new friend. She is very beautiful and she sure looks like a lot of fun.
I just found this account and video by accident, this is the first I have watched from Alex, but it most certainly won't be the last. As for the climbing holes in the boulder: When I saw the top with squats I assumed that the natives carved it all, and when I saw the bit about the robbers, I didn't change my guess. I think that natives carved the stone and the robbers (thieves are lazy) just took advantage of their work.
Alex, I think its possible that the Indians carved the steps however that rock is very prominant and has attracted people to this day including you so they could have been carved during the Mexican Period or any time after that. I agree with you that there isn't enough information.
Since Mexicans are Native Americans either way it would still be Native. The "Mission System". That's one reason why so much cultural knowledge was lost especially in the south lands. Anyway, looks like there is a good view from the top. Perhaps a lookout to see if any Spaniards or rival tribes were approaching? or just to keep an eye on the young ones or maybe a form of a hunting blind?
@@DSTREETMEDIA yes. If you read history the Spanish ruled. Then the Mexicans. Then the United States. Simple easy. Stop making something out of nothing.
Great Video Alex! Thank you! I have found a lot of Cupule sites and MOST of the time they are associated with bedrock mortars so the fertility theory makes sense. I have read that the pestle in the mortar symbolism was not lost on the Indians either .
Anecdotal I know, but my folks stopped by the rock in the 50’s. My dad said then that old-time historian Clyde Arbuckle told him that indigenous made the footholds…
Oh my, I have stopped at that rock pullout forever before the highway dept put that barrier on there so you can not park, I had no idea fhat was an ancient native gathering place for food preparation, love it snd thznk you for the video.
Great video! That place holds a special place in my heart, as I spent several years on the Monterey Peninsula at DLI and teaching tennis at the Monterey Tennis Center and Pebble Beach. Every time I would travel to my home in Indiana, then return, I would pass that very spot...and would realize that the Peninsula was finally within reach. Great memories!!! On a side note, I think perhaps "grouping" would be a better word than "pattern." Food for thought...
I agree on the "grouping" word use. Pattern means that there is some specific meaning that can be seen. Hopefully that will come later. Also, the word "Antidote" should be "Anecdote" Antidote means, "a cure for an illness," while "Anecdote" means, a "story told by one or a few people in casual conversation."
What a beautiful video. I loved it. Thank You Sir I hope to see all the videos you do. People can learn a lot from your awesome work. Much love and respect ............ Josh
Alex, I use to live a few miles from there. Old timers told me it was a favorite picnic area not long ago. Now recent road improvements has made it even harder to get to. It is an island surrounded by freeway. That poor dog probably became road kill. The traffic is horrendous there.
I have a slab of rock with a mortar. One on each side but one was definitely used more than the other. Its pretty cool. Found out in the woods of the mountains.
that boulder should be scanned and mapped by a lazer to view it by a computer to see if there are patterns... some holes and cupules may be too shallow to see because of erosion and weathering
I've always wanted to stop and explore these formations. I grew up in Southern California and now live in Santa Clara. I've passed these hundreds of times. As a child I'd beg my Mom to stop on our way to the Bay Area. My single Mom rightfully didn't feel comfortable navigating it with a 4 year old me. As an adult they still intrigue me. One day I'll stop and explore with my daughter.
I know that rock from driving past. Seems likely to me given its context to a little food or village site, that this had some religious function. I think highway robbers are more likely to just be ambushers and unlikely to build up a known site where they actually bother to carve stones.
I saw some such mortars across the road the monastery on Hwy-68/1 Point Lobos area. There was a small loop from the walking path that had some holes on a rock. I figured it was food related but I couldn't be sure. I didn't notice any trail signs that mentioned anything about it. Now I have a good idea.
I think the same way you mark your child's heighth as they grow on your door casing, I think these couplings carved in the Rock represent the growth of a family or family tree, possibly the numbers in a family or tribe, they're definitely the tracking of something Through Time!
Alex, I think you are mistaken. If they were drilled for highway construction, they would not be placed so close to one another. The rock is very fragile and does not take much effort to clear it away for modern roads. Also, none of those were perfectly cylindrical to indicate the use of a drill bit or masonry hole saw
Hi Alex. Great find! I could tell right away what this boulder is. I read all the comments, which were great. There were a couple of people who were honing in pretty close; so, I will flat out tell you. This boulder was once alive. It is the mudfossil of an elephant seal. I have not been to this place;but, I intend to go there. The steps are tracks of an animal of somekind, that were made while the mudfossil was still forming. I don't particularly like pitbulls; but, I really liked your friend.
Loved this but I see past the trees and Bolder as you call it.. mudfossle University is the man to watch and see what he says about Bolders. Much love, keep up seeking the truth. Mennie blessings 🙏 xxx
They came with the Bible in their hand, They saw our beautiful land. They taught us how to close our eyes and pray, When we opened them , we had their Bible and they had our land.... -- silent falcon Four winds council yaqui nation
Alex, Your works reflect that you're not inhibited by "Mainstream's Paradigm" (a most uncomfortable limited 19th Century Theory based Thoughts, etc), but are Authenic in your approach and Academic Assessments. Refreshing Open Scientific and History Mind. BTW, Looking very well and sharing great info on the most interesting History. Thank you Alex and Best Wellbeing ...
I think you should come to Kauai Hawaii and have a look at some of the ruins here. They seem so similar to what you show in your videos. The Hawaiian and native American have a close connection that goes back thousands of years.
Alex, right when you moved around the 2nd, prominent boulder, from the mossy side to the dry side, I feel like you walked past a big 1-2+ foot groove/indent in the ruck, resembling a yoni (female fertility symbol). Was that just my eyes deceiving me, or maybe a yoni? Further, I'd have to think those steps were created by Natives. Reason = the amount of time it would take to carve them, as symmetrically and orderly and deep as they were done, seems like it would have taken way too long (months of not longer), and I don't see robbers having time for that. Only a culture. Besides, isn't there a bath-tub-like indent at the top of the boulder? Amazing stuff.
Hello Owen, I don't thing it is a Yoni symbol, but if I go back there I'll take a second look. It does not seem like a thief would spend the energy to carve steps into a stone boulder, but there is still a question in my mind. Hopefully, someone seeing this video might have some obscure research paper or information that talks about that boulder. Anyway, take care and stay safe................alex
I'm so confused, did you bring the dog to the site between the Hwy lanes or did you come upon it while there, and did you get it out of there? Great video, I've never seen a rat nest in a tree like that before, mind blowing.
Just found you here. Excellent sites! Very educational and great camera work. There is so much that is kept from humanity. I appreciate your efforts to uncover our shared history. I spend much of my time at Chief Metacomet's meeting place in Ma. I did an album cover shoot there. The feeling keeps drawing one back to the area. Awesome stuff. Keep up the great work!
This was a fascinating video- I'd love to go hiking with you on a journey in California. So glad I found your channel! I always find really interesting shaped rocks when I walk on the beach here in San Francisco that resemble animals & some that might have been tools. Seems like there should be museums honoring these ancient treasures.
Alex, a very interesting, and intriguing video. I'm wishing you'd had a leaf blower along and a metal detector. Also man, I'm too busy looking for rattlers. Could you hear me yelling? Lol😅 Thanks, for your sharing your adventures.
Watched video to the end and it makes sense that there was a hole at top of step to hid and lookout maybe ancients carved but everyone along the way use them
I don’t think robbers carved the steps. There was a large mortar at the tip top of the monolith. I think it was a “workstation with a view.” I would think Caltrans would have surveyed the site when the lanes were rerouted to avoid head on collisions and accommodate increased traffic. You know the archeological surveys are kept from the public to guard against vandals and pot hunters. Looking at the backside of the megalith, the side with no cupules, I see what looks like scrape marks from the teeth of a huge earthmover/excavator. Probably was a lot of digging around the base, maybe moving some of the smaller boulders, crushing them for fill. Just speculation, of course. Great video. I’ve driven through that spot many times. Always wondered about that rock.
I found some bowl-shaped morters in the Jurupa area of Riverside Ca. years ago near a stream. I doubt that I could find them now, things have changed so. I thought that they were there for grinding corn, I didn't know what they were called.
