The Fremont People
The Paiute call them Mokwic, meaning, “the small people.” Archeologists called them “Fremont Indians” because the first Fremont site was identified along the Fremont River. We do not know what they called themselves. We do not even know if all the people living in Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada that we call Fremont all spoke the same language or were known by the same name. Though there is still much to learn about them, we have discovered a lot through archeology. The Fremont were preceded by hunters and gatherers who travelled seasonally and slept in alcoves like the Sheep Shelter (trail #9). About 2,000 years ago, the people began to grow corn in addition to hunting and gathering. They also started to hunt with bows and arrows in addition to atlatls (spear throwers), make pottery, and eventually build homes called pithouses in communities. Some think these new technologies spread to Utah by word-of-mouth while others argue that people migrating north brought these new things with them. The Fremont Indians who settled in Clear Creek Canyon, with its ample water and marshes, enjoyed a more diverse diet than Fremont living elsewhere in the region. They ate cattails, marsh fish, and birds which meant they did not rely as heavily on farming and hunting. In their spare time they sewed hides into clothing; built and painted pottery; coiled intricate baskets; and crafted stone tools. Their unique figurines and rock art with lively images of animals and people hint at their beliefs about the world.
from stateparks.utah.gov