Emeryville Shellmound

Emeryville Shellmound Park entrance

Shellmound Emeryville 2015

Emeryville Shellmound was a prehistoric archaeological site located in the area now known as Emeryville, California, in the United States. It was one of the largest and best-studied of the hundreds of shell mounds that once surrounded the San Francisco Bay area. These mounds, built up over thousands of years by Native American peoples, were primarily heaps of the remains of shellfish but also contained the remains of other foodstuffs, artifacts, and human burials.

History

The Emeryville Shellmound is believed to have been constructed and occupied by the Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for thousands of years before European contact. The mound was a site of continuous human habitation for approximately 2,500 years, from around 2,800 BCE to the arrival of the Spanish in the 18th century.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the mound was not just a refuse heap but a carefully constructed monument, possibly serving as a central place for the Ohlone people for ceremonies, trade, and social gatherings. The Emeryville Shellmound was originally over 60 feet high and 350 feet in diameter, making it one of the largest shell mounds in the Bay Area.

Excavation and Study

The first recorded excavation of the Emeryville Shellmound was conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, in the early 20th century. These early archaeological investigations provided valuable insights into the lives of the Ohlone people and the ecological history of the San Francisco Bay Area. However, many of the mound's artifacts and records of these early excavations have been lost or were inadequately documented.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, redevelopment projects in the Emeryville area led to further archaeological investigations of the site. These more recent excavations have employed modern archaeological techniques, providing a more detailed understanding of the mound's structure, the materials it was composed of, and the artifacts it contained.

Destruction and Preservation

Despite its historical and cultural significance, the Emeryville Shellmound, like many other shell mounds in the Bay Area, was largely destroyed by urban development. By the early 20th century, the mound had been significantly reduced in size, and the construction of a paint factory further damaged the site. In the late 20th century, the remaining parts of the mound were covered by a shopping mall and other commercial developments.

Efforts have been made to preserve the memory of the Emeryville Shellmound and other similar sites in the Bay Area. The Emeryville Shellmound is recognized as a significant archaeological and historical site, and there are ongoing discussions about how best to protect and commemorate such sites while accommodating urban development.

Legacy

Today, the Emeryville Shellmound serves as a reminder of the rich cultural and ecological history of the San Francisco Bay Area and its Native American heritage. It highlights the challenges of preserving archaeological and historical sites in urban areas and the importance of remembering the past even as we look to the future.