3.5 Cultural Resources
as net weights as well as flaked lithics. The 14 localities reported in kelp beds (Table 3.5-1) may be the
result of loss from prehistoric sea-faring craft. It has been speculated that kelp rafting may also be
responsible for transporting artifacts along the shelf. The distribution of reported sites may be
predominately dependent upon the location of sport diving, and for this reason shallow sites are more likely
to be reported. Artifacts at depths below 66 feet may be rare because of the difficulty and limited dive
times at these depths. Another factor in allowing site discovery may be sediment cover. In the La Jolla
and Point Loma areas there is limited sediment cover to obscure the presence of artifacts. Commercial
urchin divers report numerous stone mortar localities in these areas.
Historic Cultural Setting
The following paragraphs provide a very brief history of maritime activities along the San Diego region's
coast and adjacent waters. The history of the area can generally be divided into three sections. The
Spanish period begins in 1542, followed by the Mexican period beginning around 1800. The American
period came with the discovery of gold and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hildago in 1849. A more lengthy
history is provided in Appendix E.
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the leader of the first expedition to enter the project vicinity in September of
1542. Some historians believe that the next recorded European entry into the project vicinity was by a
Portuguese navigator named Sebastian Cermenho. The next reported visit to the project area was the
expedition of Sebastian Vizcaino who arrived in San Diego Bay in November 1602. Over 160 years
passed until the Spanish visited the area again. In 1769, four ships left La Paz, Mexico bound for San
Diego. Only two ships successfully completed the transit. The leader of the expedition, Captain Vicente
Vila, erected a crude fort at the site of the San Diego Presidio.
The Mexican era of California history saw the arrival of hide trading ships which sailed through the project
area. San Diego Bay was utilized as a hide processing station so frequent transit of the San Diego area
occurred as the hide ships plied their trade along the California coast.
The discovery of gold in 1849 and the signing of the treaty of Guadelupe-Hidalgo acted to dramatically
increase maritime traffic along the San Diego region coast. Gold seekers traveling to the mines from the
east crossed the isthmus at Panama to wait for ship passage north. This era of maritime history also saw
the arrival of the first steam ship to San Diego.
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