Ancient Artifacts Rewrite Western Colorado History
Artifacts Date Back To 15th, 16th Centuries
By Janelle Ericsson
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — New discoveries are changing what we know about Western Colorado’s history.
The Western Investigations Team, also known as W.I.T., recently discovered artifacts dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
Researchers say the findings prove the Spanish were present in the Grand Valley nearly 150-years before we previously believed.
Students and staff at Colorado Mesa University partnered with the Museum of Western Colorado to create WIT, which has been working at the site since 2009.
Director David Bailey says discoveries like this always lead to more questions.
“I think it might rewrite our history books a little bit and I think it’s really interesting that they would be this far north. But they were in pursuit of silver and gold mines and always looking for treasure and riches just beyond the ridge, so it’s not surprising that they’re here but it’s interesting that we found that they were here,” says Bailey.
More Information
- “Ancient Artifacts Rewrite Western Colorado History” (Mar. 9, 2012), at Ancient Lost Treasures, visited Oct. 6, 2019.