Back in the 90s, I worked on a site in "the back country" of  San Diego
Co.  There were remnants of what we recorded (& took photos) as granary
bases on the bedrock outcrop.  These rock alignments would have been
circular originally, to set the large woven basket on (to hold
acorns)...but had scattered just a bit...over time.  The cobbles were
definitely Not naturally placed on top of a high boulder (it wasn't at
ground level, so they couldn't have washed on to the surface thru
erosion).

When we returned to the site on Mon. (to continue excavations)...the
rocks had been moved...to form the letters "HI"  !!!!  
So...we never know at what time period someone might 'align'
rocks...etc.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On 
>Behalf Of Ron May
>Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 10:20 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: the Kid Factor influence on artifacts (etc)
>
>The Kid Factor is always a problem. During a survey of 
>property overlooking Interstate 5 and the San Elijo Lagoon, my 
>crew found and diligently mapped-in an  alignment of small 
>cobbles (overgrown with bushes) that we could never be certain 
>of the source. Since it was near a 7,000 year old prehistoric 
>site, but  also on a cattle ranch that dated back to the 
>1820s, we realized just about  anyone could have created it. 
>Better safe than sorry, we filled out a California  Department 
>of Parks & Recreation form on the feature and the Lead Agency  
>preserved it right along with the Coastal Sage Scrub 
>biological habitat. 
>Thirty  years later, I still wonder if a couple of seven year 
>olds did not just create  the thing. But then the notion 
>crosses my mind, if two children did it 7,000  years ago, 
>would it make a difference?
> 
>Ron May
>Legacy 106, Inc.
>
>
>
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