CHAPTER 2
THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF JUAB COUNTY A he knowledge and understanding of prehistoric cultures in Utah is in a state of exciting development. New archaeological discoveries, improved methodologies of study, and a growing body of reliable knowledge suggest innovative theories and ideas about prehistoric Native Americans who lived in Utah and the West. Some of these new methods of study include genetics, climatology, volcanic and tectonic activities, the study of pollen, and comparative analysis. Although new understanding has brought some lack of certainty, researchers believe they can understand the basic developments of prehistoric Indians both in Utah and Juab County. Significant to our understanding of prehistoric Indians is a better conception of the environment and climate in which they lived. It is clear that the occupation of prehistoric Indians in areas of the West was directly associated with the availability of water for themselves as well as the flora and fauna resources they gathered and hunted. Availability of water has always been critical to the occupation of areas by humans in Juab County, in Utah, and in the West. Like us, ancient inhabitants developed a rudimentary understanding of their environment and were 13
