Last updated: July 26, 2022
Place
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail Stop #9
NPS/M. Woolley
Quick Facts
Location:
Rio Grande Village Nature Trail
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Explore this rocky outrcop and look for round depressions in the limestone bedrock. These depressions are known as bedrock mortars. The mortars are archeological features once used by indigenous hunter-gatherer bands of Big Bend to prepare food. Native peoples returned to these sites to grind seeds and vegetation for consumption using stone or wooden pestles. Baked sotol and lechuguilla, pinon nuts, and prickly pear fruits are among the foods once prepared in the mortars.
While it is difficult to date the use of mortars with certainty, archeologists believe that certain sites in the Park were used seasonally for up to four thousand years. Though simple in appearance, the number and grouping of mortars may be able to tell us both about size and social structure of the bands using them. Two to seven mortars are typically spaced at the distance a few people preparing food could converse. Their presence near springs, water holes, and the Rio Grande underscores the importance of reliable water sources to humans in the area.
While it is difficult to date the use of mortars with certainty, archeologists believe that certain sites in the Park were used seasonally for up to four thousand years. Though simple in appearance, the number and grouping of mortars may be able to tell us both about size and social structure of the bands using them. Two to seven mortars are typically spaced at the distance a few people preparing food could converse. Their presence near springs, water holes, and the Rio Grande underscores the importance of reliable water sources to humans in the area.