Unearthing Ancestors at the West Berkeley Shellmound

Archaeologist Nels Nelson mapped and photographed the West Berkeley Shellmound in 1907. For many years Nelson's was the only photograph we could find of the shellmound, most of which had been carted away to fertilize farm fields and pave muddy streets. In 1950, U.C. Berkeley archaeologists hurriedly excavated what was left of the shellmound before what remained was finally leveled by industrial expansion. The archaeologists removed 3,400 Ohlone artifacts along with the bones of 95 Ohlone ancestors. We recently obtained photographs of the dig from the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology and are sharing them here for the first time. For a related film, watch “Our Story Lives Forever” at • Our Story Lives Forever to learn more about the artifacts that were removed from the shellmound.

[@stressmanagementcenter6867]

What do these other comments mean anyway? I thought all artefacts and remains belong to the tribe and have to be given back to them.

[@Alis55555]

❤️☮️❤️

[@jigold22571]

Turtle Island,Fl. Also..

[@Muddyorphan1812]

Looks like mud floodage from like armageddon or 1800ish reset