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Archaeology
Archaeological finds demonstrate that the Mojave Desert has been inhabited since as far back as 10,000 years ago; remains of Paleo-Indian cultures showing large game hunting. As climate changed and the environment became drier, people in the area adjusted to their changing conditions by altering their life ways, creating new tools, and concentrating more on plant gathering and small game hunting. Over time, the Mojave and Chemehuevi—in addition to other groups—came to settle here, leaving behind petroglyphs, pictographs, pottery, and stone tools showing their cultural practices and connection with nature.
Notable archaeological sites in the Mojave area include rock art sites—pictographs or petroglyphs etched into stone surfaces, marking areas of cultural or spiritual significance. Other sites are remains of trails used by Native American groups, such as the Mojave Trail; this was an important trade and travel route for both Native Americans and European settlers.
Other historical sites found within the Mojave Desert relate to early European explorers, miners, and railroad personnel, remnants of old forts, stage stops, and settlements that manifest the movement and impact of settlers upon this area. Indeed, this area still attracts scores of archaeologists and historians who study these ancient sites with the hope of understanding how people adapted to one of the harshest environments in North America and a long-standing cultural heritage embedded in the Mojave Desert.
