Last updated: November 2, 2021
Place
Cultural Site Trail Stop #3
Quick Facts
Location:
Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park and Preserve
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
Many depressions in the ground are former sites of homes or perhaps larger communal gathering areas. In addition to examining layers in the soil, archaeologists look at artifacts found here to piece together stories of the past. In fact, over 330,000 artifacts have been found in Katmai, including projectile points, harpoons, blades, oil lamps, vessels, and somewhat mysteriously incised pebbles.
Thirty-eight of these marked pebbles were found during archaeological excavations, stylized with intricate anthropomorphic designs carved onto them. These decorated pebbles suggest to us is that the people who made them had leisure time—they had a comfortable enough lifestyle that they had time to create art. Many of them are carved with lines, dots, triangles, and tree-like patterns that may represent facial features or personal adornments such as headgear, necklaces, or jewelry. Archaeologists don’t really know what these pebbles were used for: They may have been part of a counting or tallying system, or may represent mythical figures. They do not appear to be tools, so perhaps they were either used for ceremonial function or game pieces. Interestingly, the designs are very similar to artifacts found on Kodiak Island, and other similar designs found in Aniakchak National Monument.
What do you think these pebbles might represent? What could the similarities mean? How do you think they were used?
Thirty-eight of these marked pebbles were found during archaeological excavations, stylized with intricate anthropomorphic designs carved onto them. These decorated pebbles suggest to us is that the people who made them had leisure time—they had a comfortable enough lifestyle that they had time to create art. Many of them are carved with lines, dots, triangles, and tree-like patterns that may represent facial features or personal adornments such as headgear, necklaces, or jewelry. Archaeologists don’t really know what these pebbles were used for: They may have been part of a counting or tallying system, or may represent mythical figures. They do not appear to be tools, so perhaps they were either used for ceremonial function or game pieces. Interestingly, the designs are very similar to artifacts found on Kodiak Island, and other similar designs found in Aniakchak National Monument.
What do you think these pebbles might represent? What could the similarities mean? How do you think they were used?