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Buffalo Eddy LbNA #30370

Owner:Waters
Plant date:Apr 24, 2007
Location:
City:Asotin
County:Asotin
State:Washington
Boxes:1
Found by: Kurious Jo
Last found:Sep 19, 2009
Status:FFFFFa
Last edited:Apr 24, 2007
Buffalo Eddy Petroglyphs

Introduction:
Buffalo Eddy is an eddy located on the Snake River outside of Asotin, WA where several different petroglyphs are etched onto rocks. You can see art work from early Nez Perce people dating back over 4,500 years ago. Native American people did not have a written language long ago. History was passed down through oral traditions, stories, songs, dances, and rock images. Petroglyphs and pictographs were forms of recorded communication used by native people long ago.

The earliest petroglyphs were created thousands of years ago, pecked using round rocks that made shattered dents in the larger rock surfaces. Later, rock artists used stone chisels and hammerstones. The chisels made deeper, clearer dents and gave the artist more control. Using chisels allowed artists to create more detailed images. The root word “petro” means rock, while “glyph” means carving.

These rock forms are an important part of Nez Perce history. Rock forms can be hundreds to thousands of years old and are irreplaceable. If they are destroyed or damaged, they can never be fixed. Because of the historical importance of these rock forms, they are protected under the Archaeological Resource Protection Act. It is important to look at but not touch these images.

The type of rock located at Buffalo Eddy is basalt, an extrusive igneous rock common in this area as a result of the Columbia River Basalt Flows of long ago. Igneous rocks are one of three main kinds of rocks. They are formed when magma, or molten rock lying under Earth’s crust, is pushed up into layers of the crust (intrusive igneous rock) or onto Earth’s surface (extrusive igneous rock) where it then cools and solidifies.

Getting you close:
From Clarkston follow Highway 129 South to Asotin, at the red flashing light go straight through on County Road 209 (also referred to as Snake River Road). DO NOT turn right toward Anatone. From the flashing light you will travel aproximatley 14.9 miles along the river edge. On the left side you will see a sign and a pull out.

To the box:
From the pull out walk southwest down the gravel path to the information board. Continue downstream along the path. Stop when you reach the "Images in Stone" sign. Read a little history and continue down the path approximately 27 steps. Look to your right and the the base of the snarley tree, under rocks, you will find Buffalo Eddy!