Archaeological Sites on Opposite Shores of the Gulf of California

Extract

In 1946 Gifford published a brief account entitled “Archaeology in the Punta Penasco Region, Sonora” (American Antiquity, Vol. 11, pp. 215-21). Subsequently we both spent considerable time examining sites in the region, upon which we purpose to publish once we have a Carbon 14 date for the prepottery horizon.

In January, 1951, we examined sites in the vicinity of San Felipe, Northern Territory, Baja California, across the Gulf from Punta Peñasco. There we found numerous sites similar in type to those of Sonora. They were situated on dunes and terraces of the desert coast. All were marked by the presence of shells and potsherds. The former were largely of .the species found in Sonora, the latter of undecorated “Yuman” type, both of Mountain and Desert styles as described by A. E. Treganza in his paper entitled “An Archaeological Reconnaissance of Northeastern Baja California and Southeastern California” (American Antiquity, Vol. 8, p. 158, 1942).