LAn-25.—A cave site, LAn-25 is .4 of a mile east of LAn-23 in the same sandstone ridge. It has a northwest exposure and is very near the top of the outcrop. A small opening leads into a circular room 15 feet in diameter; the walls and ceiling are somewhat smoke-blackened. However, the cave probably bore little habitation, for the floor deposit is hardly discolored and includes very little charcoal, only two flakes and no artifacts. Water is available at the Santa Maria spring a half a mile north, but the ascent to the cave is difficult because of the thick brush and sheer rock faces.
LAn-27.—This is one of a series of caves reported by W. King and D. Lathrop. They stretch along the north bank of Garrapata Creek for .25 of a mile on the property of M. Biencourt, just south of the owner’s house, all with a more or less southerly exposure. Water is available from the spring in the creek bed a few hundred feet upstream and from Mineral Springs, less than a half a mile to the west. As none contain deposit of any depth, and the majority are relatively low overhangs, these caves probably served only as temporary shelters.
LAn-27.—This is a high-roofed cave, 25 feet wide and 12 feet deep, with a maximum floor deposit of 12 inches. The slope in the front of the cave also bears dark, loose deposit, which appears to have a greater depth than that in the cave itself. Surface finds include a few scrapers, as well as some flakes and marine shell fragments.
LAn-28.—100 feet west of LAn-27, and slightly higher, is another cave, only 8 by 5 feet. The rock floor bears no artifacts, the only evidence of possible habitation being the intensely fire-blackened roof. As extensive brush fires are not uncommon in this region the blackening may well be the result of unintentional firing.
LAn-29.—This is the largest of the caves, 60 by 16 feet, and is 400 feet southwest of LAn-27 and somewhat lower. A thin erosional or aelian layer covers the surface of the deposit, which bears scrapers, marine shell fragments, and burnt bone; the interior of the cave is completely carbonized.
LAn-30.—Only 30 feet southwest of LAn-29 is another small cave, 20 by 10 feet, with fire-blackened walls and shallow deposit containing scrapers, marine shell, and flakes.
LAn-31.—This is a low circular cave with two entrances, some 80 feet southwest of LAn-30. The dark ashy deposit covers a floor 10 by 15 feet where pockets attain a maximum depth of 24 inches, and extends some 20 feet beyond the cave mouth. Aside from marine shell and flakes, it contained a few cores and scrapers.
LAn-32.—The last of the caves is 200 feet west of LAn-31 and slightly lower. Here a long shallow overhang leads to a dry circular room with blackened walls. The deposit covers an area 15 feet in diameter, is dark, ashy, and dry, and yielded a few scrapers, some cores, and a quantity of marine shell fragments.
LAn-33.—In a sandstone cliff overlooking the valley, 3 potholes have been used as bedrock mortars. They are .25 of a mile west-southwest of the spring on the Barton School property, and the same distance west-northwest of the spring on the Kiewit Ranch, surrounded on the west by oaks. Again, neither surface artifacts nor other habitation deposits are evident in the immediate vicinity.
SUMMARY OF SITES