Native American artifacts have been found on the Uni grounds, situated around the excavation for the girls’ gym.

Andrea Campos, Treasurer of the Gabrielino Tongva Springs Foundation (GTSF), identified these artifacts. They included a stone mortar and pestle, or a molcajete and a mano.

The round mano was found sitting right in the center of the circular molcajete, as it was left before being unearthed on Oct. 9.

Additionally, another, more rectangular mano was discovered in the same area.

Two summers ago, Angie Behrns, the President of the GTSF and also the grandmother of Campos, dug out a huge mettate, which is a form of a mojalcete, except it’s more squarish in shape.

The rectangular mano that was also found is believed to be a part of the earlier men¬tioned mettate.

These artifacts are now recognized as materials used by the Tongva tribe, which has existed for around 4000 years, in the Los Angeles area.

The tribe was a part of the San Gabriel Mission, which was founded by Father Junipero Serra.
Some historians even claim that Serra stopped on our site in the Indian Springs.

Campos and Behrns are both members of this tribe.

Their ancestors may have been the caretakers of these artifacts.

Archaeologist Robert Porter accompanied Campos as the artifacts were unearthed.

It is illegal to excavate on the sacred Indian site without an archaeologist present.

Porter found a knife back in April, down in Uni’s lower field.

The knife is believed to be made out of obsidian.

It was about six feet away from an abalone shell, which is believed to have been a part of the Indians’ diet.

The knife was assumed to be used to scrape out abalone from the shell.
Both Campos and Porter were extremely excited with these findings.

“During my many years of doing this, there were many discoveries at Uni High. But the most recent and most ex¬citing one was the mojalcete and mano,” claims Campos enthusiastically.

What is even more amazing is the fact that the artifacts were still intact, not damaged.

At the moment, the artifacts are being analyzed by archaeologists to gain more knowledge.

These artifacts’ future lies in the hands of the GTSF, which tend to the sacred site and conducts tours of the Indian Springs for elementary children.

The foundation plans to exhibit the artifacts in the future cultural center located in the Indian Springs area.

“It would be wonderful to have Uni students take a look at these artifacts and take in our rich history,” says Maria Lomeli, Spanish teacher and active member of the GTSF.

“The mano, mettate, and molcajete that were found aren’t simply ‘rocks;’ they have real value and significance,” said Lomeli. “It’s crucial for students to understand this.”

Porter’s company, CRM Technology, have about 200 artifacts which they have found on our grounds during excavations from February to April.

All archaeological reports will be turned in by next month, so let’s sit tight and prepare to learn more about Uni’s magnificent and vibrant history, Wildcats!