Native Stonework

Let’s talk about the stones used locally by the Native American stonemasons in their many construction projects.  The masons used a combination of quarried and found stones, the primary stone being Rhyolite.  The quarried stones came from quarries in Carson City, Fallon and parts of California, while the found stones were just that – found. The found stones were generally found on site, though, there are instances where people went rock hunting for specific stones to be used on a project.

Quarries are a form of open pit mining. Quarried stone is just as important to Nevada’s economy as is the gold and silver produced by underground mining

Quarry
(Dictionary.com)

noun, plural quarries.

1. an excavation or pit, usually open to the air, from which building stone, slate, or the like, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc.

2. an abundant source or supply.

An excellent list of quarries in Nevada can be found at Mindat.org. See https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=14194&m=48451 for the list.

The Wungnema Family owns an unspecified number of quarries along the Carson River, where they obtain their supplies of Rhyolite.  Much of the Rhyolite used locally was obtained from one of these quarries.

 Only the Wungnema Family and their closest associates know the exact location of these quarries.  Contrary to rumor, none of these quarries are – or have ever been – underwater.

The extensive use of Rhyolite by the Native American stonemasons in their masonry projects has become the trademark of these masons.  Locally, this stone is known as the “pink” stone or “Indian” rock.  Rhyolite is the primary stone used in building projects. The masons also used a number of other stones including Wonder stone, Turquoise and Onyx.

Wonder stone is a type of Rhyolite that grows with gorgeous patterns of creams, yellows, pinks and reds.  As with all Rhyolite, it is an excellent meditation stone and creativity enhancer.  It brings energies of tranquility and helps eliminate worries.

The use of Rhyolite in construction projects has declined as the above-ground supply of this stone in Northern Nevada is being depleted and, due to federal regulations, it is expensive to mine/dynamite the underground supply of the stone.

Fortunately, the Native American stonemasons created a number of masterpieces using Rhyolite obtained from the Wungnema quarries. This means, that as we drive through Carson City, the Stewart Indian School and other towns in Northern Nevada, we can appreciate the beauty of the stone!