Gatecliff Rockshelter

Gatecliff Rockshelter, in Mill Canyon in central Nevada’s Toquima Range, is one of the Great Basin’s most important archaeological sites because its unusually deep, intact deposits preserve a clear record of prehistoric human use. Used mainly as a short-term field camp between about 5500 and 1250 years before present, it was discovered in 1970 and excavated through 1978. Archaeologists exposed nearly 39 feet of sediment, identifying 56 geological strata, 16 cultural horizons, and 47 radiocarbon dates. Finds included hundreds of projectile points and incised stones, rock art, tools, ornaments, and animal remains, making the site a key reference for Great Basin chronology, environment, and human activity.

Nevada · United States