Grand Canyon Discovery: Ancient Artifacts Found Dating Back 12,000 Years

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Every year, it attracts millions of tourists to raft, hike, and above all, enjoy the spellbinding views. It also attracts many researchers eager to uncover its rich history and geology. In fact, the Grand Canyon National Park has recorded over 4,3000 archeological remains from a variety of  cultures including Paelo-Indian, Clovis, Basketmaker, Ancestral Puebloan, Euro-American, as well as Indigenous groups like Navajo, Zuni, and more. 

All in all, visitors today are far from the first people to appreciate the beautiful canyon. And now the landmark is full of ancient artifacts that open a window to people who lived there so long ago.

Clovis and Folsom Spear Fragments

These fragments of spear points are the oldest surviving artifacts found in the Grand Canyon so far. The Clovis spear point dates somewhere between 9200 B.C.E. to 8900 B.C.E. It’s made of a type of silica called Paleo pink stone that originated in the Chuska Mountains. Meanwhile, the Folsom spear point dates somewhere from 8900 B.C.E. to 8200 B.C.E.

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Split Twig Figurines

Archeologists discovered hundreds of animal figurines, like bighorn sheep and deer. Each figurine is made from a single twig that was split and carefully folded into shape. Some of these animal artifacts have little spears stuck in their bodies, which indicates they may have been talismans for successful hunts. Since they were found in remote and hard-to-access inhabited caves under tock cairns, researchers believe these figurines weren’t toys, which was another theory about their purpose.

Artifacts from the Basketweaver Culture

The Basketweaver culture lived in the Grand Canyon from roughly 550 to 825 C.E. They are named after their high-quality weaved baskets. In fact, these baskets are so tightly constructed, they could have carried water. But baskets aren’t all that were found from this era. Pottery such as bowls with the telltale Basketweaver zigzag pattern survived in caves, sheltered from destructive weather, and discovered by modern researchers.

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Ancestral Puebloan Pottery

The Ancestral Puebloan people lived in the Grand Canyon from about 825 C.E. to 1250 C.E. Archeologists have found a series of pottery from this time period that are decorated with simple geometric patterns similar to the Basketweaver culture, in addition to more elaborate designs. Historical researchers also noticed an increase in ceramic quality as the Ancestral Puebloans practiced and mastered their craft.

The Grand Canyon Paleontology Collection

Among the most interesting exhibits in the Grand Canyon Museum Collection lies the paleontology collection. Fossils have been discovered all around the canyon from many different eras. Some of the most notable finds include the following:

• Bass limestone containing fossilized stromatolites, which are among the oldest fossils in the world, dating to about 1.2 billion years ago
• Remains of an extinct Pleistocene ground sloth that used to roam America about 15,000 years ago
• Fossil of an extinct Stock’s vampire bat that is 20% larger than today’s common vampire bat
• A skull about 11,000 years old from an American Cheeta found near the remains of other Ice Age creatures
• Crinoid fossil from a 270 million year old Kaibab Limestone (crinoids are related to starfish and sea urchins)
• An 11,000-year-old fossil of today’s critically-endangered California condor
• Reptile tracks set in coconino sandstone. This is a type of rock formation that has become prominent in the Grand Canyon with its distinct white color and structure textured by rain, ripples, slump marks, and in this case, fossil tracks.

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