Habitats of the Llano Estacado
Sanddunes
Photoessay: Scenes, oddities, and artifacts of the Sanddunes
(photographs by Bill Loos, text by Burr Williams)
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In the distance is Blue Mountain - the western edge of the Llano Estacado, west of Goldsmith. Somewhere between the photographer and it is Willow Springs. (Read the essay on Willow Springs.)
Shinoaks and its associated fungi bind the sand together with organic material. It is hard to believe that sand can form a "cliff."
Bill Loos's dog Ginger is smart, finding the shade of a shinoak. Vegetated dunes can be seen in the background.
When the wind kicks up, and it always does, the sand blows along - and you can see dust plumes along the dune face, and even above it.
In between the dunes in the hardpan soil water can collect after a rain. Judging by the curling mud, for a few days a good sized pond was present.
Despite appearing to be harsh country, Indian artifacts are often found in the dunes.
The delicate work of the Indian flintknapper is impressive.
Arrowheads are art - the flintknapper of this arrowhead selected a beautiful rock to work on.
A person never knows what they will find in the dunes. This is a human jawbone.
Bill Loos brought an Indian friend to this human burial, and it was properly re-interred in accordance with Indian customs.
To grind up the acorns and grass seeds in the dunes, the Indians had to carry their manos and metates - and left them behind when they broke.
When lightning strikes the dunes, the heat fuses the sandgrains together, and the result are fulgurites. Sometimes a network of fulgurites is found.
An observant eye can spot fulgurites standing in the sand.