Native American Tour gives glimpse of Dugway 7,000 years ago

By Bonnie A. RobinsonNovember 27, 2017

Dugway Native American Tour
1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Employees and attendees of a Native American Heritage tour arrive at the Cedar Mountain Training Range for a short hike to an archeological site for a Native American Heritage Tour Nov. 6. There they learned about the Garrison's Environmental Program... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American Tour
2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – More than 40 people hiked to an archeological site at Dugway Proving Ground Nov. 6. Rachel Quist, the Garrison's cultural resource manager, organized the event and said it was important to identify and mark these artifact sites because it preserves t... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American Tour 2017
3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Native American Tour, Nov. 6, offered some of the best evidence of the hunter-gathers who lived within the borders of Dugway Proving Ground 7,000 years ago. Pictured (L to R) are Gary Millar, deputy chief of the Test Support Division; Bob Abston,... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American Heritage Month Tour
4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Janine Hoskins and Command Sgt. Major Joe Bonds discuss the archeological site during a Native American Heritage Month tour Nov. 6 near the Cedar Mountain Range. Hoskins called the site "Amazing" and commended the Army's stewardship in protecting th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American Heritage Tour 2017
5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Jennifer Degraffenried, an archeologist with the Cultural Resource Office, stressed how unusual it was to have a number of artifact sites on the installation. "It teaches us a lot about the native peoples of 7,000 years ago and their culture," she sa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Native American Heritage Tour Dugway 2017
6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Dugway tour allowed attendees to examine smaller chipped stones that were likely broken spear points used by hunters to attach to sticks and uses as handheld spears for smaller game or reptiles. Photo by Bonnie A. Robinson, Dugway Proving Ground ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American Heritage Tour 2017
7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Employees and attendees of a Native American Heritage tour arrive at the Cedar Mountain Training Range for a short hike to an archeological site for a Native American Heritage Tour Nov. 6. There they learned about the Garrison's Environmental Program... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native American heritage Tour 2017
8 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – This round-topped hill overlooks the archeological site in the Cedar Mountains. A Native American Heritage tour held Nov. 6, gave more than 40 people a chance to look at stone tools and shaped arrow points and other artifacts that provide precious cl... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dugway Native Ameerican heritage Tour 2017
9 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Dugway tour allowed attendees to examine smaller chipped stones that were likely broken spear points used by hunters to attach to sticks and uses as handheld spears for smaller game or reptiles. Photo by Bonnie A. Robinson, Dugway Proving Ground ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah -- More than 40 people participated in a Native American Heritage Month tour in the test center area, Nov. 6, learning about efforts to document archeological areas on Dugway.

The tour was arranged by Rachel Quist, the Garrison cultural resource manager, who took attendees to a Cedar Mountain Training Range archeological site to show the value of identifying and preserving ancient artifacts.

"It's important that we identify and mark these sites," Quist said. "These artifacts help us preserve the history and better understand the culture of the hunter-gatherers, the earliest Americans, of the Bonneville Basin."

The participants were split into two groups, lead by Quist and Jennifer Degraffenried (an archeologist with the office), allowing everyone plenty of time see the flagged sites and ask questions.

"The smaller chipped stones you see are broken spear points used by hunters to hurl handheld spears at smaller game or reptiles," Degraffenried said.

She also pointed out several large slightly spooned rocks, which she said indicated the surfaces may have been used for preparing food, cooking or as a small hearth during cold weather.

Tour participants liked the idea of celebrating this year's Native American Heritage observance by going to the field to see an archeological site.

"This was a very visual tour and I enjoyed the presentation," said Jared Mathis, a geographic information specialist at West Desert Test Center. "I learned a lot about how the native people here created tools they needed to survive."

Related Links:

Dugway Provinf Ground website

Dugway Proving Ground Facebook page

Dugway Proving Ground YouTube