Surviving in Utah's Past - Stay Curious, Utah!

Maps of Utah

Humans have inhabited Utah for over 10,000 years. Look through the maps below. What territories did the ancestors of Utah's modern tribes live in? What areas do their ancestors live in today? What habitats would they have lived in and what natural resources would they have found there? How would a natural resource like obsidian end up being used all over Utah if it's only found naturally in one location?

Click the maps below to download the full file.

A map outlining Utah's indigenous tribal lands

Aboriginal Lands

Original and current tribal lands of Utah's tribes.

Habitats of Utah

Topographical map showing the general environments in Utah.

Volcanic Toolstone Sources

Map of obsidian quarries in Utah used for lithic tools.

Stone Artifacts From Utah's Past

Look closely at the artifacts below. Some may look like plain old rocks, but they were all once used as tools. How would a human have used each one to help them survive? How would you use it as a tool? Observe their different structures and see if you can figure out what modern tool they may be similar to.