Oral Presentations - Session 2A: UC 326
Projectile point analysis of the Sarpy Bison kill
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Anna Prentiss
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Anthropology
Abstract / Artist's Statement
In 2010 and 2011 archaeological excavations were conducted at the Sarpy Bison Kill site located in southeastern Montana or better known as site 24BH3078. The site is a bison communal hunting site located in a drainage that leads to sandstone wall outcropping, where the bison were killed and processed for meat, hides, and bone marrow. The site is dated to 1980+/ 40BP or roughly 50 BC to 90 AD. The excavations at the site were conducted as a cultural resource management project for the excavation of the underlying coal by a local coal company. A preliminary analysis was performed on the projectile points found at the Sarpy Bison Kill in 2010 field season to determine the use-life of a projectile point used in such a hunting process. The projectile points found at this site indicate in some detail the use-life of a projectile point from accruing material from both local and far off sources, manufacturing, use, recycle/rejuvenation, and finally disposal. This analysis gives a great glimpse into communal bison hunting and from these tools provides insight on how these types of tools and hunts both worked and played into the role of stone tools in plains bison hunting strategy.
Category
Social Sciences
Projectile point analysis of the Sarpy Bison kill
UC 326
In 2010 and 2011 archaeological excavations were conducted at the Sarpy Bison Kill site located in southeastern Montana or better known as site 24BH3078. The site is a bison communal hunting site located in a drainage that leads to sandstone wall outcropping, where the bison were killed and processed for meat, hides, and bone marrow. The site is dated to 1980+/ 40BP or roughly 50 BC to 90 AD. The excavations at the site were conducted as a cultural resource management project for the excavation of the underlying coal by a local coal company. A preliminary analysis was performed on the projectile points found at the Sarpy Bison Kill in 2010 field season to determine the use-life of a projectile point used in such a hunting process. The projectile points found at this site indicate in some detail the use-life of a projectile point from accruing material from both local and far off sources, manufacturing, use, recycle/rejuvenation, and finally disposal. This analysis gives a great glimpse into communal bison hunting and from these tools provides insight on how these types of tools and hunts both worked and played into the role of stone tools in plains bison hunting strategy.