In the rolling hills encompassing East Bay and neighboring areas near San Francisco, peculiar stone walls stretch discontinuously for miles, standing at 3-4 feet in most places. Unenclosed and shrouded in mystery, the origins of these walls have spurred various theories, from ancient civilizations to fantastical realms. Let’s delve into the riddles and revelations surrounding the East Bay Walls.
Ancient Construction Hypotheses
In 1904, University of California Berkeley professor John Fryer proposed that Mongolians or ancient Chinese crafted these walls, fueled by the belief that “the Chinese would naturally wall themselves in.” This idea echoes fringe theorists suggesting Chinese admiral Zheng He’s California settlement. An even more extraordinary notion links the walls to Lemuria or Mu.
Theories of Lemuria and Mu
Philip Sclater’s 1864 proposal of Lemuria as a lost continent in the Indian Ocean gained traction, though later dismissed by continental drift acceptance. Theosophists, like Helena Blavatsky, clung to Lemuria as the home of a progenitor race, the Lemurians. Mu, a Pacific Ocean sunken continent, shares a similar narrative. Proponents claim refugees from Lemuria or Mu erected the East Bay Walls, disputing European or Native American involvement.
Supporters argue the absence of historical documents on European settlers building the walls and lack of Native American oral traditions linking them to the construction. Additionally, the Chinese fleets, proponents assert, couldn’t justify the extensive network of walls claimed to span Northern California.
Modern Construction Explanations for the East Bay Walls
Contrary to exotic speculations, Beverly Ortiz, cultural services coordinator of the East Bay Regional Park District, and local archaeologist Jeffrey Fentress propose a practical explanation. The walls, they argue, were erected by ranchers around 1850-1880 to clear grazing land and corral cattle. Most likely crafted by laborers of Chinese or Native American descent, the walls align with the Gold Rush era, coinciding with the prevalence of cattle ranches in the region.
Analyzing the Physical Evidence
But could it have been the Chinese, Lemurians, or Mu refugees? The absence of Chinese tools, domesticated species, and archaeological remnants challenges these theories. Similarly, the lack of geological evidence for Lemuria or Mu’s existence and the established plate tectonics theory contradict notions of sunken continents.
For now, the balance of evidence tips toward a mundane explanation—the walls crafted by 19th-century ranchers clearing fields for cattle. Historical evidence supports the presence of ranchers in the area during that period, aligning with known cultural practices producing such structures. The absence of evidence for Chinese settlers or refugees from Mu or Lemuria strengthens this pragmatic interpretation.
