Paisley Caves Oregon Map
This was kind of crazy to me.
Paisley caves oregon map. The site was first studied by archeologists in the 1930s. Actually the discussion is still going on how early man settled on the american continent. 14 000 years ago these caves in five mile point were home to humans. It is located along oregon route 31 between summer lake and lake abert.
The seven creases that create the caves were etched into a low basalt ridge during the ice age by waves moving across lake chewaucan. The series of rock shelters was inhabited very early. One of the caves contains archaeological evidence of the oldest definitively dated human presence in north america. We had seen something on the map called paisley caves and we had asked about it at the ranger station.
Goose lake and lake abert are popular for bird and wildlife viewing while summer lake hot springs draws those looking for a steamy soak. This caves contained a number of coprolithes petrified excrement which contain remains of the food and the dna of early humans. There are two theories about the origin of the name paisley. The population was 247 at the 2000 census.
Scientific excavations since 2002 have uncovered substantial new discoveries. In the summers of 1938 and 1939 archaeologist luther cressman and a team of researchers from the university of oregon were the first to excavate the caves. The oldest known human habitation in north america was right here in oregon and i had never heard of this place before today. Paisley is a city in lake county oregon united states.
The paisley caves complex is a system of caves and rock shelters in an arid desolate region of south central oregon united states. The paisley caves are eight caves and abris located in the summer lake basin near paisley. Steele was the first postmaster of the. Luther cressman at paisley caves archaeological site oregon usa 1966 this is paisley cave number 3 also known as 4.
The paisley caves more formally known as paisley five mile caves in south central oregon are among the oldest archaeological deposits in north america. Another informant stated that the place was named by samuel g. Steele also a native of scotland. The results of the examination are genetic ties to siberia or asia and an age between 12 750 and 14 290 years bp.
One of the caves contained archaeological evidence of the oldest definitely dated human presence in north america. The paisley caves complex is a system of four caves in an arid desolate region of south central oregon united states north of the present day city of paisley oregon. One story says that charles mitchell innes from scotland named the place for paisley in his home country in about 1873. Explore the remote paisley caves.
Thanks to dennis jenkins for the correct identification of this site. They told us how to get there so we drove out there.