Far Western prepared an ethnographic study and archaeological overview for the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. The project was funded through a grant to US Fish and Wildlife Service from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. As such, the study brings together ethnographic information from contemporary Tribal members with the ethnohistoric archival record, a records search, a pedestrian inventory of a known petroglyph site (Black Canyon), and a detailed study of the rock art. The overall goal of this study was to prepare detailed background information to update the Black Canyon National Register of Historic Places nomination form and to document the rock art for long-term management considerations.
The survey of the 400-acre petroglyph site also led to the discovery/recordation of 37 sites and 24 isolated finds. Of the sites, 24 are prehistoric, seven are historic-era, three have both prehistoric and historic-era materials, and three are of an uncertain vintage. Overall, the projectile points, sherds, and hydration rim values reflect an Early Ceramic and Late Archaic use—within the last 1,500 years—with Late Archaic indicators significantly outnumbering Early Ceramic ones, underscoring occupations of Black Canyon within the last 750 years.
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