Safeway's groundbreaking in Pleasanton has been put on hold as new Indian artifacts have been discovered.
The Oakland Tribune reports this is the fourth time in the past decade Dr. James Allan and his colleagues have been called to the area to unearth remains and artifacts of the Ohlone Indians.
The site Safeway plans to build its 58,000 square foot store has given Dr Allan and his company more than 500 remains. The most recent discovery included 19 sets of Ohlone remains.
"Modern folks in the area are finding out what the Ohlone Indians knew, that the Tri-Valley was a great place to live," said Andrew Galvan, an Ohlone descendant and curator of Mission Dolores in San Francisco.
In the late 1990s, 470 Ohlone remains were found in the area.
"It appears to be the case that Ohlone Indians called this area home," said Allan, the company's vice president and principal. "Given the number that we have found, and the close distance, it appears to be a fairly large population."
Safeway's progress is on hold for several months while the location is excavated and the remains are taken to another spot or a location nearby where they will be undisturbed.
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Safeway is planning for a November opening of that store.
