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Archaeology of Italian Bread Ovens

One of the ovens discovered on gold miners' sites on Angels Creek (Courtesy Julia Costello)

During archaeological studies that preceeded th e filling of New Melones Reservoir, remains of a series of stone ovens were found in Gold Rush placer-mining camps on Angels Creek.  Research into determining their use and assocaiations lead through census reports, immigration records, and interviews with informants -- leading to their association with Italian gold miners.  A summary of this research was published in Archaeology magazine in 1981.

Gold Rush Archaeology article.pdf