Talking Comb: Exploring the Earth’s Backbone

Winston Hurst Lecture/ slide show

It’s no easy trick to cram seven years of Comb Ridge research and documentation into 1 ½ hours -- especially when that research covers 13,000 years of history.  Archaeologist Winston Hurst made a valiant stab at the daunting task on Feb. 25, as he discussed pre-history, Basket makers  and early pueblo findings along the 77 mile “backbone of the earth.”   With many more slides and hours of information left to cover, the large audience agreed with his suggestion of  reconvening another time at the Edge of the Cedars Museum for a 2^nd and possibly a 3^rd session where late Pueblo, Ute, Navajo, and pioneer history related to Comb Ridge will be discussed.

Traditional peoples, which Hurst defined as “non-industrialized cultures,” have always looked to landmarks in their surroundings, “which are pregnant with importance and symbolism,”.  Hurst explained how Comb Ridge which forms a cross with the San Juan River, has been regarded as the “cosmic center point” or “spine of the world.”

For many local people “non-industrialized” or not, Comb Ridge plays an important role in more recent history with its geographical, geological and archaeological significance.   Hurst described his life-long love of that particular area, and his role in the 2005-2010 Comb Ridge Heritage Initiative, a state funded project covering 44,000 acres.  Because of the expanse of the area which is dotted with hundreds of sites, funds ran out before all archeological sites could be studied.  However, 800 sites were formally surveyed, which is about 1/30^th of the total sites in San Juan County.

Sites surveyed include the historic Perkins Ranch site of the 1880’s clear back to Prehistoric trails and roads.  The University of Denver did earlier surveys in the 1970’s and their discoveries were curated in the Museum of Natural History in Salt Lake City.  All those sites, plus hundreds more were replotted using new technology like gps.  Every site was photographed and identified by a number and multi page entries were documented.  This data base is kept at the Utah Statewide Archaeological survey archives and is managed by the State of Utah. 

Hurst emphasized often that information of archaic people and Paleo-Indians is “very sparse” but that there is some evidence in Comb Ridge related to that 11,000 BC-1000 BC era.  Clovis points have been found, and rock art portraying a large Mammoth exist.  In addition Clyde Barton in the 1950’s found a large 40” femur bone of a mammoth, which is displayed in the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding.

Much evidence of these early people was likely bulldozed up when the new Bi-centennial highway cut through Comb Wash.  This area is also a popular recreation/camp area, which compounds the problem of using the valley for research.  However, archaic rock art along the San Juan River and a rare Clovis find made by Andrew Goodman (EOC employee) has reconfirmed the belief that people have been in the area since 11,000.

Hurst showed slides of rock art created in different time periods, which helped show the development of culture over the centuries in the Comb Ridge area.  Early Basket Maker people did not make pottery but did raise corn and turkeys.  The Classic Basket Makers (1500-2000 BC) were in Comb Wash, with one site excavated by Bill Davis and Debra Westenfall. Bigger and more permanent pit houses mark the Late Basketmaker era which lasted from 450 -725 AD.  Many of these are found in the Butler Wash area on the East side of Comb.

The final part of the slide show discussed the Early Pueblo era when redware pottery began to appear in the area between 750-950 AD.  There was a population explosion with villages developing, and two-three story pueblos being built.  Monarch Cave is one area where it is easy to see the beam sockets where poles were used to support multi-leveled homes or prior civilizations. Totally new pottery techniques developed and citadels were built for protection as well as shrines.  For information on the later ramblings around Comb, watch for slide show #2 and #3 at Edge of the Cedars Museum.