Indian artifact treasure trove paved over for Marin County homes
Archaeologists crushed that tribe declined to protect burial site
Lacy Atkins/SFC
The $55 million Rose Lane development in Larkspur is being built on the site of a 4,500-year-old Indian burial mound. The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria opted to rebury and pave over the artifacts found.
April 22, 2014 | Updated: April 23, 2014 7:29am
A treasure trove of Coast Miwok life dating back 4,500 years - older than King Tut's tomb - was
discovered in Marin County
and then destroyed to make
way for multimillion-dollar
homes, archaeologists told
The Chronicle this week.
discovered in Marin County
and then destroyed to make
way for multimillion-dollar
homes, archaeologists told
The Chronicle this week.
The American Indian burial ground and village site, so rich in history that it was dubbed the
"grandfather midden," was
examined and categorized
under a shroud of secrecy
before construction began
this month on the $55 million Rose Lane development in Larkspur.
"grandfather midden," was
examined and categorized
under a shroud of secrecy
before construction began
this month on the $55 million Rose Lane development in Larkspur.
The 300-foot-long site contained 600 human burials, tools, musical instruments, harpoon tips,
spears and throwing sticks from a time long before the introduction of the bow and arrow.
The bones of grizzly and black bears were also found, along with a ceremonial
California condor burial.
spears and throwing sticks from a time long before the introduction of the bow and arrow.
The bones of grizzly and black bears were also found, along with a ceremonial
California condor burial.
"This was a site of considerable archaeological value," said Dwight Simons, a consulting
archaeologist
who analyzed 7,200 bones, including the largest collection of bear bones ever found in a
prehistoric site
in the Bay Area. "My estimate of bones and fragments in the entire site was easily over a
million, and
probably more than that. It was staggering."
archaeologist
who analyzed 7,200 bones, including the largest collection of bear bones ever found in a
prehistoric site
in the Bay Area. "My estimate of bones and fragments in the entire site was easily over a
million, and
probably more than that. It was staggering."
No artifacts were saved
All of it, including stone tools and idols apparently created for trade with other tribes,
was removed,
reburied in an undisclosed location on site and apparently graded over, destroying the
geologic
record and ending any chance of future study, archaeologists said. Not a single artifact
was saved.
was removed,
reburied in an undisclosed location on site and apparently graded over, destroying the
geologic
record and ending any chance of future study, archaeologists said. Not a single artifact
was saved.
Lost forever was a carbon-dated record in the soil layers of indigenous life going back
approximately to the time the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in Egypt. It was, said
several prominent
archaeologists, the largest, best-preserved, most ethnologically rich American Indian
site found in
the Bay Area in at least a century.
approximately to the time the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in Egypt. It was, said
several prominent
archaeologists, the largest, best-preserved, most ethnologically rich American Indian
site found in
the Bay Area in at least a century.
"It should have been protected," said Jelmer Eerkens, a professor of archaeology at
UC Davis who
visited the site as a guest scholar. "The developers have the right to develop their land,
but at least
the information contained in the site should have been protected and samples should
have been
saved so that they could be studied in the future."
UC Davis who
visited the site as a guest scholar. "The developers have the right to develop their land,
but at least
the information contained in the site should have been protected and samples should
have been
saved so that they could be studied in the future."
The shell mound was first documented in Larkspur in 1907, but no one knew its
significance until
a developer decided to build homes, prompting an examination of the grounds.
significance until
a developer decided to build homes, prompting an examination of the grounds.
Archaeologists brought in
The development was approved by the city in 2010, but the developer, Larkspur
Land 8 Owner LLC,
was required under the California Environmental Quality Act to bring in
archaeologists to study
the shell mound under the direction of American Indian monitors before it
could build.
Land 8 Owner LLC,
was required under the California Environmental Quality Act to bring in
archaeologists to study
the shell mound under the direction of American Indian monitors before it
could build.
The developers hired San Francisco's Holman & Associates Archaeological
Consultants to
conduct an excavation, and that firm spent the past year and a half on the site,
calling in 25
archaeologists and 10 other specialists to study aspects of the mound. As required
by the
environmental act, their work was monitored by the Federated Indians of Graton
Rancheria, who
were designated the most likely descendants of Larkspur's indigenous people.
Consultants to
conduct an excavation, and that firm spent the past year and a half on the site,
calling in 25
archaeologists and 10 other specialists to study aspects of the mound. As required
by the
environmental act, their work was monitored by the Federated Indians of Graton
Rancheria, who
were designated the most likely descendants of Larkspur's indigenous people.
The American Indian leaders ultimately decided how the findings would be handled,
and they
defended their decision to remove and rebury the human remains and burial artifacts.
and they
defended their decision to remove and rebury the human remains and burial artifacts.
"The philosophy of the tribe in general is that we would like to protect our cultural
resources and
leave them as is," said Nick Tipon, a longtime member of the Sacred Sites
Protection Committee
of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. "The notion that these cultural
artifacts belong to the public is a colonial view."
resources and
leave them as is," said Nick Tipon, a longtime member of the Sacred Sites
Protection Committee
of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. "The notion that these cultural
artifacts belong to the public is a colonial view."
But Eerkens and several other top archaeologists said a lot more could have been
done to protect
the shell mound. The problem was that the work was done under a confidentiality
agreement,
so little was known about it until March when some of the archaeologists
discussed their work
during a Society for California Archaeology symposium in Visalia.
done to protect
the shell mound. The problem was that the work was done under a confidentiality
agreement,
so little was known about it until March when some of the archaeologists
discussed their work
during a Society for California Archaeology symposium in Visalia.
An extraordinary site
It was too late by then to preserve the site and, by all accounts, the archaeologists
at the
symposium were stunned.
at the
symposium were stunned.
"In my 40 years as a professional archaeologist, I've never heard of an
archaeological site
quite like this one," said E. Breck Parkman, the senior archaeologist for the
California State Parks.
"A ceremonial condor burial, for example, is unheard of in California. This was
obviously a very
important place during prehistory."
archaeological site
quite like this one," said E. Breck Parkman, the senior archaeologist for the
California State Parks.
"A ceremonial condor burial, for example, is unheard of in California. This was
obviously a very
important place during prehistory."
The developer, Larkspur planning officials and officials at Holman &
Associates all
pointed to tribal leaders.
Associates all
pointed to tribal leaders.
"We coordinated the entire time with the tribe and the archaeological team
to make sure it was a
collaborative effort and that things were handled in accordance with the
tribe's wishes,"
said Brian Olin, the senior vice president for New Home Company, which is
part of a joint venture
with Larkspur Land 8.
to make sure it was a
collaborative effort and that things were handled in accordance with the
tribe's wishes,"
said Brian Olin, the senior vice president for New Home Company, which is
part of a joint venture
with Larkspur Land 8.
Miley Holman, the owner of the archaeological firm, referred all inquiries to
the American Indians,
as did Neal Toft, the Larkspur planning director.
the American Indians,
as did Neal Toft, the Larkspur planning director.
"The city did not participate or oversee any of the archaeological digs or
discovery," Toft said.
"The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria managed the oversight along
with a qualified
archaeologist. We were not apprised or assessed of any significant finds,
and in fact we kept
out of it."
discovery," Toft said.
"The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria managed the oversight along
with a qualified
archaeologist. We were not apprised or assessed of any significant finds,
and in fact we kept
out of it."
Greg Sarris, the chairman for the 1,300-member tribe, was far from
apologetic about what
happened to the archaeological site. It is nobody else's business, he said,
how the tribe
chooses to handle the remains and belongings of its ancestors.
apologetic about what
happened to the archaeological site. It is nobody else's business, he said,
how the tribe
chooses to handle the remains and belongings of its ancestors.
"Our policy is that those things belong to us, end of story," said Sarris,
whose tribe recently
opened the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park. "Let us worry
about our own
preservation. If we determine that they are sacred objects, we will rebury
them because in
our tradition many of those artifacts, be they beads, charm stones or
whatever, go with the
person who died. ... How would Jewish or Christian people feel if we
wanted to dig up
skeletal remains in a cemetery and study them? Nobody has that right."
whose tribe recently
opened the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park. "Let us worry
about our own
preservation. If we determine that they are sacred objects, we will rebury
them because in
our tradition many of those artifacts, be they beads, charm stones or
whatever, go with the
person who died. ... How would Jewish or Christian people feel if we
wanted to dig up
skeletal remains in a cemetery and study them? Nobody has that right."
The protection of cultural sites has been a prickly topic for decades
in the Bay Area, where
American Indian shell mounds were once abundant around
San Francisco Bay. There is
often tension, and there are sometimes courtroom battles, between
American Indians,
who generally want ceremonial items left alone, and archaeologists
who want to collect
and preserve ancient artifacts and village sites for science.
in the Bay Area, where
American Indian shell mounds were once abundant around
San Francisco Bay. There is
often tension, and there are sometimes courtroom battles, between
American Indians,
who generally want ceremonial items left alone, and archaeologists
who want to collect
and preserve ancient artifacts and village sites for science.
State and federal laws attempt to balance the two - protecting
cultural sites and giving
American Indians a say over what happens - but in most cases
a private-property owner
can't be forced to protect a cultural site.
cultural sites and giving
American Indians a say over what happens - but in most cases
a private-property owner
can't be forced to protect a cultural site.
The new homes, on a 22-acre former tidal estuary of Corte
Madera Creek, across from
Hall Middle School in central Larkspur, will include 42 senior
housing units, eight senior
cottage homes, six affordable-housing town houses and 29
single-family homes. They are
expected to go on the market in the fall for $1.9 million
to $2.5 million.
Madera Creek, across from
Hall Middle School in central Larkspur, will include 42 senior
housing units, eight senior
cottage homes, six affordable-housing town houses and 29
single-family homes. They are
expected to go on the market in the fall for $1.9 million
to $2.5 million.
Shrouded in secrecy
Nondisclosure agreements are relatively common when dealing with
Indian burials because
of the historical problems American Indians have had with looters,
grave robbers and
vandals, but the archaeologists believe the developer was behind the
secrecy.
Indian burials because
of the historical problems American Indians have had with looters,
grave robbers and
vandals, but the archaeologists believe the developer was behind the
secrecy.
"The developer was reluctant to have any publicity because,
well - let's face it - because
of 'Poltergeist,' " said Simons, referring to the 1982 movie about
a family tormented by
ghosts and demons because their house was built on top of a burial
ground.
well - let's face it - because
of 'Poltergeist,' " said Simons, referring to the 1982 movie about
a family tormented by
ghosts and demons because their house was built on top of a burial
ground.
They also question Larkspur planning officials, who could have
protected the mound by
ordering a redesign or mandating construction of a cap over the site.
Critics suspect
planning decisions were influenced by the fact that Larkspur is getting
out of the deal
a 2.43-acre piece of land to build a community center.
protected the mound by
ordering a redesign or mandating construction of a cap over the site.
Critics suspect
planning decisions were influenced by the fact that Larkspur is getting
out of the deal
a 2.43-acre piece of land to build a community center.
"It's like the fox watching the henhouse," said Al Schwitalla, an
archaeologist hired by
Holman & Associates to analyze artifacts at the site. He said
radiocarbon dating was
arbitrarily limited and DNA testing was prohibited, a move that
prevented confirmation of
a genetic link to Graton Rancheria tribe members.
archaeologist hired by
Holman & Associates to analyze artifacts at the site. He said
radiocarbon dating was
arbitrarily limited and DNA testing was prohibited, a move that
prevented confirmation of
a genetic link to Graton Rancheria tribe members.
Lost treasures
A draft report is being prepared documenting what was found inside
the Larkspur mound,
but the actual items are lost to science and future study. That includes
atlatl throwing
sticks, which were used for hunting before the bow and arrow. There
were also thousands
of shells and the bones of bat rays, waterfowl, deer, sea otters and
some 100 grizzly and
black bears. Archaeologists say the remains of the condor, a species
revered by the Miwok,
could be an indication that the birds were kept as pets, possibly for
their feathers.
the Larkspur mound,
but the actual items are lost to science and future study. That includes
atlatl throwing
sticks, which were used for hunting before the bow and arrow. There
were also thousands
of shells and the bones of bat rays, waterfowl, deer, sea otters and
some 100 grizzly and
black bears. Archaeologists say the remains of the condor, a species
revered by the Miwok,
could be an indication that the birds were kept as pets, possibly for
their feathers.
There were also antler tools, flutes, beads, bone awls, hairpins, game
pieces and ritualistic
stone objects apparently used to trade for obsidian and beads from
Napa-area tribes,
according to archaeologists.
pieces and ritualistic
stone objects apparently used to trade for obsidian and beads from
Napa-area tribes,
according to archaeologists.
"There are a lot of things that went wrong here," Eerkens said.
"It's really a shame."
"It's really a shame."
pfimrite@sfchronicle.com