Drug Farm Damages Ancient Village Site in California

News October 10, 2013

SHARE:

BRIDGEVILLE, CALIFORNIA—Scott Bauer of California Fish and Wildlife discovered an ancient village while investigating a marijuana-growing operation. Today’s growers are looking for the same things that Native Americans wanted in a settlement or camp site: southern exposure, warm weather, and water sources. “The activity of the marijuana cultivation out there damaged what had been a pretty large archaeological site. Now, it’s just kind of a big jumbled mess,” he said. Among the artifacts he found were a broken pestle and a broken spear head.

  • Features September/October 2013

    Tomb of the Vulture Lord

    A king’s burial reveals a pivotal moment in Maya history

    Read Article
    (© Kenneth Garrett)
  • Letter from Norway September/October 2013

    The Big Melt

    The race to find, and save, ancient artifacts emerging from glaciers and ice patches in a warming world

    Read Article
    Norway melting ice patch
    Courtesy Oppland County Council, Photo: Johan Wildhagen/Palookaville
  • Artifacts September/October 2013

    Roman Writing Tablet

    A tablet bearing a birthday party invite includes the earliest Latin script penned by a woman

    Read Article
    (© The Trustees of the British Museum/Art Resource, NY)
  • Digs & Discoveries September/October 2013

    No Changeups on the Savannah

    Read Article
    (Private Collection/J.T. Vintage/The Bridgeman Art Library, Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY, Pat Benic/Copyright Bettmann/Corbis/AP Images)