Indian Bedrock Mortar
Indian bedrock mortars are bowl-shaped depressions that Native Americans ground carefully into large, flat stones, using them to grind seeds, nuts, and grains, among other food products. Granite bedrock surfaces are the usual places where these mortars can be found, usually located near water sources or areas with dense plant life. Centuries of incessant use have been responsible for the continued grinding of stones or pestles that gradually resulted in these indentations.They are very common historic indicators of Indigenous presence, mostly in the places where the native tribes like Cahuilla, Chumash, and Yokuts prospered. To archaeologists and historians, bedrock mortars are of great importance in understanding the way of life, subsistence, and resource management of Indigenous cultures. Many are found nowadays as part of cultural heritage sites, protected in honor of the history and traditions of Native American communities.
