Grimes Point Archaeological Area

Grimes Point Archaeological Area. One of the Most Significant Archaeological Sites in the Great Basin. , [side 1] , The Cattail-Eater People (Toidikadi) , Stillwater Marsh is located in the basin northwest of Grimes Point. When the first non-native explorers entered the area, it was the home of the Northern Paiute people, known as the Cattail-eaters or Toidikadi. Like the prehistoric inhabitants who lived there before them, the Toidikadi used the abundant marsh resources to supply most of their material needs., Houses were built of cattail and tule bundles. Tule stems were bound together, tied with cattail leaves and formed into boats. With these, off-shore marsh resources such as duck eggs and fish could be gathered. Clothing was made from the shredded and twined fibers of sagebrush bark. Baskets, duck decoys, cradleboards, nets and even sandals were fashioned from the marsh plants. It has been said, quite accurately, that the Cattail-eater people tied their world together., Plants and Animals Change with the Climate , Ten thousand years ago the climate was moist and much milder. River otters played on the banks of slow moving, placid streams. Huge ground sloths fed on the streamside vegetation. Beavers and bald eagles were common. As the climate changed, the plants and animals found in the area also changed. Today most of them are desert species, adapted to surviving hot temperatures and long periods without water., Desert animals often find water in plants or the flesh of their prey. They tend to be swift-footed, running and leaping creatures adapted to the open country. These desert dwellers are active mainly at night, choosing to spend the hot, burning days in burrows where the temperatures may be as much as 80 degrees cooler than on the surface. Desert plants have waxy leaf surfaces or tiny leaves so that less moisture is lost to the atmosphere., Grimes Point Interpretive Trail , Please feel free to walk the one-half mile loop, self-guided interpretive trail. This trail winds through a large boulder field. Many of the rocks have petroglyph carvings, some possibly dating as far back as 7,000 years. Hundreds of petroglyphs of different types can be found within this boulder field., Hidden Cave Interpretive Trail , Located a little over a mile northeast of Grimes Point, visitors will find another self-guided interpretive loop trail. In addition to petroglyphs, you will see rock shelters, learn more about native plants and animals, geology, and the daily lives of the prehistoric people. Because of the fragile nature of Hidden Cave itself, the cave is open only-for guided tours. Please contact the Bureau of Land Management or the Churchill County Museum for information about tours of the cave., [side 2] , Welcome to , Grimes Point Archaeological Area, A Focal Point of Prehistoric Use , Humans first visited this area over 8,000 years ago. Lakes and marshes provided materials for making baskets and netting. Antelope and desert bighorn sheep grazed on the hillsides surrounding ancient Lake Lahontan. Sandhill cranes and ducks nested along the shoreline. Caves and rock shelters provided cover. Hidden Cave was used as a storage place for food, tools, and other important essentials. Today, all that remains of that greener, wetter and biologically rich era are remnants, fossils and artifacts., Ancient Artists , What Were They Saying? , Nobody knows for sure. Some of the rock art boulders within this site may have been carved as long as 8,000 years ago , others less than 500 years ago. Some are abstract images with stripes, dots and zig-zags. Some are human figures, goats, snakes and horn toads. The meaning of the rock art is still debated by scholars. What stories do you see etched on the rock?, Help Preserve This Special Place , Grimes Point Archaeological Area was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Here you have the opportunity to learn about and enjoy your cultural and natural heritage., There are over 1,000 pieces of ancient rock art, making this one of the most important archaeological sites in the Great Basin. To help preserve this site, pleas abide by the following regulations. These regulations are enforced so that the past may be passed on to the future., Please Follow the Rules , , Help Protect Our Resources , . All artifacts, natural features, and fossils are protected by law. Please do not collect, deface or destroy them. , . To help prevent damage to the area, no vehicles or horses are allowed within the Grimes Point Archaeological Area. , . For your safety and enjoyment as well as for the safety and enjoyment of others, no shooting or discharge of firearms is allowed. , . Please stay on the trails. Do not climb on the petroglyphs or boulders.