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tommy750 Posts: 1065
3 days ago
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Found this on GE a while back and just couldn't convince myself it was natural so I went out and took a peek. You guys ever seen this before? Was present at least on 2014 GE imaging and I suspect it's at least decades old. My guess is hippies doing some sort desert farming experiment. Don't think it's a cultural site. Just seems like a weird endeavor at this location yards from S2.
 Terraces 2 by tomteske, on Flickr
 IMG_0022 (1) by tomteske, on Flickr
 IMG_0024 (1) by tomteske, on Flickr
 IMG_0015 by tomteske, on Flickr
 IMG_0013 by tomteske, on Flickr
 IMG_0020 by tomteske, on Flickr
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Andy Posts: 13
3 days ago
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Wow, that is very strange. First thought is it looks like an ancient shoreline and/or fish traps of some kind. But I agree it looks more recent. Interesting and would love to hear others theories.
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dtoujours Posts: 26
2 days ago
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These are good theories.
I wondered if it was related to slope stabilization or gravel collection. It reminds me of the Topock Maze a little bit, but there are certainly differences and this doesn't seem like a cultural site.
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tommy750 Posts: 1065
2 days ago
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dtoujours wrote:
These are good theories.
I wondered if it was related to slope stabilization or gravel collection. It reminds me of the Topock Maze a little bit, but there are certainly differences and this doesn't seem like a cultural site.
There's a lot of internet info on desert farming/permaculture using various techniques including swales, gabions and terraces. All the locations I see utilizing these seem to have a lot more water than the Colorado Desert but who knows.
 microclimates by tomteske, on Flickr
Pic is from: https://permaculturepractice.com/arid-climate-permaculture/
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dtoujours Posts: 26
1 days ago
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I'm leaning more toward your desert agriculture theory now. Do you know if there are/were any springs in the area? I'd say this was probably in Kumeyaay territory more than Cahuilla territory, and both were of course mainly hunter gatherers, but it seems they may have used some terraced agriculture, as well, especially the Kumeyaay. Do you think the terraces could have been that old? Here's what ChatGPT has to say:
Cahuilla Agriculture
The Cahuilla lived in the inland deserts and mountains of Southern California, where water was scarce. While they primarily relied on hunting, gathering, and seasonal movement, they also cultivated crops in certain areas. They are known to have grown corn, beans, squash, and melons using irrigation techniques in places where water was available, such as near springs and streams. Some researchers suggest that they may have used rock terraces to help control erosion and retain moisture in hilly areas.
Kumeyaay AgricultureThe Kumeyaay, who lived in the coastal, desert, and mountain regions of present-day Southern California and northern Baja California, are better documented as practicing terrace farming. They built rock terraces along hillsides to prevent soil erosion and capture rainfall for acorn orchards, agave, and other native plants. Additionally, they cultivated tepary beans, maize, and squash in more suitable areas. They also pruned and managed wild plants to encourage better growth, a practice sometimes called "proto-agriculture."
So while neither group was strictly an agricultural society like the Pueblo peoples to the east, they both engaged in forms of intentional cultivation and land management, including terrace farming in certain locations.
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dtoujours Posts: 26
1 days ago
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The Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay mentions stone terraces on their website:
https://viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/viejas-community/kumeyaay-history/kumeyaay-sense-of-the-land/
Of course, that piece of cloth in one of your photos seems more modern.
edited by dtoujours on 1/29/2025
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