Yanasi

This site rests in a secluded mountain valley, a natural pass between two ridges, where a small creek and several natural springs feed into a nearby river, known to the American Indians as “medicine waters.” Sheltered from harsh winds and rich in resources such as clean water, game, fish, and fertile land, this location was ideal for both settlement and ceremony.

Exploration of the area revealed a remarkable concentration of over twenty carefully constructed, circular stone mounds arranged on a mountain plateau overlooking the creek. Some bear the scars of looters’ trenches, but many remain intact, their stones still tightly set within their boundaries. Above these mounds lies a ceremonial circle anchored by a single larger “anchor stone,” while further west, two massive “split stones” stand like silent sentinels—likely spiritual markers guiding the choice of this sacred site.

Among the most striking features is a weathered petroglyph of a turtle’s face carved into one of the split stones, positioned to gaze directly over the burial ground. In American Indian tradition, the turtle is a sacred protector, and this carving may have served as a symbolic guardian of the Ancestors’ resting place. Across the creek, in a rare flat area at the base of a steep hill, lies what may have been the associated village site—close enough for practicality, yet separate from the ceremonial grounds. Two large stone mounds there could mark the burials of prominent individuals or serve another, as-yet-unknown purpose. Nearby, an 80-yard-long serpent effigy winds across the forest floor, its curling tail and sinuous body carefully formed from stones, the head partially damaged by a tree but still discernible. Together, these features reveal a place of deep cultural significance—part dwelling space, part ceremonial ground—where generations lived, honored their dead, and left lasting expressions of belief, artistry, and connection to the land.