1. Petroglyphs, Mastodon Mystery and Climate Change - Three Discussions about the prehistoric American West & what lessons can be applied to the present day Part 1: Paleohistory of the American West

2. North America Satellite view

3. North America Satellite view 12kya

4. Keeling Curve

5. PaleoClimate Change

6. Tardis, from Dr. Who

7. Pictograph

8. Pictograph Barrier Canyon Style

11. Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde

12. Anasazi Cliff Dwelling

13. Some Ancient Indian Cultures

14. Petroglyphs – Atlatl Rock NV

15. Valley of Fire, Nevada. Impressive group of people, animals and designs etched in a desert sandstone wall.

16. Atlatl www.uwlax.edu

17. Modern Petroglyph

18. Chichen Itza

19. Carocal (Observatory) at Chichen Itza

20. Maize & Kokopeli

21. Great Basin Curvilinear ca 2-3 kya

22. Great Basin Curvilinear Fallon, NV

23. Petroglyphs are more than just graffiti. This is another example of Great Basin Curvilinear (ca 2-3000 yrs bp). Circles and lines do not reveal much about the meaning or purpose of this petroglyph. Can you imagine what the artist was depicting?

24. Petroglyph Fallon, NV

25. Pit & Groove ca 5 kya

26. Pit and Groove Petroglyphs are older than 5000 years. Petroglyphs are dated by the amount of discoloration, "Desert Varnish", which has formed on the etching.

27. A Wall of Petroglyphs at Petroglyph Point at Lava Bed National Monument, California overlooks Tule Lake and distant sacred Mount Shasta. When these carvings were made, the wall was next to the shore of Tule Lake. It is now easily accessible and is protected with a 100 yard fence.

28. Dry Lake in Death Valley

29. Pleistocene Nevada greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/mf-maps/mf-2323/

30. Crater Lake

31. Ash Layer near Missoula MT

32. Lake Missoula Floods

33. North America ca. 11 kya

34. Epochs Holocene Holocene Pleistocene Pleistocene Pliocene Pliocene Miocene Miocene Oligocene Oligocene Eocene Eocene Paleocene Paleocene 10,000 ya-present 1.8 mya – 10 kya 5.3 mya – 1.8 mya 23 mya – 5.3 mya 34 mya – 23 mya 55 mya – 34 mya 65 mya-55mya

35. Cool & Dry Cool & Wet Warm & Dry Warm & Wet Holocene Climate (10,000 years to present) 10680 4 2 Years Before Present Lake Bonneville Flood Lake Missoula Floods Mayan Civilization Anasazi Disappear Columbus Mt Mazama Explodes Maize Developed Bow & Arrow Appear ModernGreat Basin CurvilinearPit & Groove Altithermal Medi- thermal Early Archaic Megafauna Extinction Clovis Culture

36. Conclusions Global Temperatures were constant during the Holocene Global Temperatures were constant during the Holocene There were major changes in precipitation patterns (drought) in the West There were major changes in precipitation patterns (drought) in the West Some Cultures probably disappeared because of drought Some Cultures probably disappeared because of drought Major Catastrophes also occurred that probably killed humans Major Catastrophes also occurred that probably killed humans

37. Puebloan tradition holds that the ancestors had achieved great spiritual power and control over natural forces, and used their power in ways that caused nature to change, and caused changes that were never meant to occur. Possibly, the dismantling of their religious structures was an effort to symbolically undo the changes they felt they caused due to their abuse of their spiritual power, and thus make amends with nature. - Bryce Harrington Dec 1, 2006 Wikipedia

38. Geological Eras Holocene 10,000 years ago to present Holocene 10,000 years ago to present Pleistocene.01 – 2 Million years ago Pleistocene.01 – 2 Million years ago Pliocene 2 – 13 Million years ago Pliocene 2 – 13 Million years ago Miocene 13 – 25 million years ago Miocene 13 – 25 million years ago Oligocene 25 - 58 million years ago Oligocene 25 - 58 million years ago Eocene 58 – 36 million years ago Eocene 58 – 36 million years ago Paleocene 65 – 58 million years ago Paleocene 65 – 58 million years ago

39. Climate Compared to 10 ky average N. C. Heywood (nheywood@uwsp.edu)(nheywood@uwsp.edu)EarlyArchaic Alti-thermalMedi-thermalTerminal Archaic Archaic Anasazi Disappear Clovis People Kennewick Man Pueblo Mt Mazama Explodes Pit & Groove Lake Missoula Floods & Megafaunal Extinction Great Basin Curvilinear Bow & Arrow John Kantner http://sipapu.ucsb.edu/timeline/index.html Maize Columbus Holocene (10,000 bp) Chronology

41. Crater Lake & Ash Crater Lake Present Day – 7700 & 7100 years after Volcanic Explosions (VEI=7) Layer of Volcanic Ash near Missoula, MT - Probably killed humans and animals

42. MegaFloods 14,500 ya 10,000 ya