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The Buffalo Pound in North-Western Plains Prehistory: Site 48 CA 302, Wyoming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

George C. Frison
George C. Frison*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming
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Abstract

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The Ruby site, 48 CA 302, in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, is a buffalo pound dating to late Middle Period with a radiocarbon age of 1670± 135 years: A.D. 280 GX-1157). The site was contained in steadily aggrading alluvial deposits allowing close stratigraphic control. Features included most of a buffalo pound, part of the drive lane, and an associated ceremonial structure.

An attempt to explain the operation of this pound is based on historical accounts for various north-western Plains tribes and on problems of buffalo handling encountered with modern herds, allowing for changes brought about by the introduction of the horse. The ceremonial structure is explained in the context of shamanistic activity occurring with communal hunts in ethnographic and historical accounts. Archaeological data from the same area and time period suggest this pound is a variant of other communal buffalo procurement methods, including buffalo jumps, that occurred yearly to provide food for winter use and that required consolidation of the society into larger groups than could effectively exploit the environment during the remainder of the year.

A large segment of the meat processing area remains intact and will eventually be used in an attempt to test hypotheses concerning butchering methods, tool use, and nature of social groups involved.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , January 1971 , pp. 77 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1971

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