Nevadans for Cultural Preservation

Presenter Isabelle Guerrero - Ph.D. Student/Museum Fellow with the Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada Reno

Tunna’ Nosi’ Kaiva’ Gwaa (TNKG) is a large multi-component site complex situated within pinyon-juniper woodlands at the edge of the western Great Basin in a region known by the Numu toponym, Tuvugatudu. The pre-contact components at TNKG include hunting features, rock rings, lithic materials, and rock art. Recent historical materials at TNKG include evidence of charcoal production and wood cutting likely connected to the historic mining towns of Bodie, California, and Aurora and Del Monte, Nevada. While the precontact materials have been well-studied, the recent historic components require further investigation. This presentation showcases the preliminary results of dissertation research being completed at TNKG, examining how this landscape was transformed from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. This project utilizes a multi-pronged approach that incorporates archaeological investigation, archival research, oral history research, and collaborative work with Tribes, federal agencies, and private landowners.