Toltec mysteries

The Juniper Flats area has been populated for a long long time. Acheological evidence documents human presence that goes back at least 8,000 years. In more recent times, Cottonwood Spring was home to the Amutkakaeeum branch of the Serrano Tribe. There are some puzzling questions that baffle archeologists who have studied the area. An intact burial was found in a rockpile in Juniper Flats. Serrano custom was creamation of their dead and this find remains a mystery to this day. We do know that the person found was a young male about 12 years old and he died around 800 AD. Why the body was enshrined in a rockpile in contrast to the creamation custom continues to baffle archeologists.

At the end of the last Ice age, the east face of the San Bernardino mountains supported a culture that grew in population due to an abundance of food. The native cultures of long ago are linked to the natives of Mexico. It is believed by many archeologists there is a connection to the Toltec culture.

It is no suprise to me that two OHV enthusiests responsible for creating J1299 have suffered injuries lately. When exploring the rocks of Juniper Flats, one encounters broken bones on a regular basis. I always take care not to disturb the spirits resting there.