Early Indigenous Plains people utilized the surrounding topography and their deep knowledge of bison behaviour to effectively hunt North America’s largest land animal. Bison were lured towards the precipice by skilled hunters who were dressed as wolves and bison. Other hunting party members would funnel the bison into position by strategically using logs, brush, and rock cairns to create drive lanes that the bison would ultimately follow. Eventually, when everything was in place, hunters would stampede the bison over the cliff. Additional hunters at the bottom of the cliff would dispatch any bison that were still alive using spears and bows. This hunting technique was so effective it was employed for generations. Archaeological evidence indicates that Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (estipah-skikikini-kots in Blackfoot), the biggest, oldest, and best-preserved buffalo jump in North America and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was used for more than 6,000 years and archaeological digs uncovered more than 10-metres of bone deposits at the base of the cliff.
1958 – Jacob Hubert, one of the field crew who started excavation in 1958, working on level 6.
Although Head-Smashed-In is the most famous, there were dozens of other buffalo jumps scattered across southern Alberta. One such site is known as Old Women’s Buffalo Jump (Aakíípisskan in Blackfoot) near the present-day town of Cayley. This site is situated on the southern banks of Women’s Coulee and evidence indicates it was used for about 2,000 years. The Old Women site marked the first time a major excavation of a buffalo jump occurred on the Canadian prairies. This archaeological excavation happened in 1958 and again in 1959. The Old Women Buffalo Jump received national historic site designation in 1960. The photographs depicted in this story are from the archaeological excavations during the 1958 and 1959 field seasons.
1958 – David H. Quapp, the field supervisor for the first part of the 1958 excavation, screening with Jacob Hubert.1958 – Each unit of the site was excavated in natural layers which ranged from 8 to 10 in thickness.1958 – Excavation during the 1958 season was concentrated at the Upper Pit – just below the cliff face. Operations during the first year were directed by David H. Quapp and D. R. King.1958 – Horizontal and vertical beams were set in place to prevent slumping of the uphill wall of the trench. White ash beds of burned bones are visible in layers 4 and 10.1958 – D. R. King, the site supervisor for the second half of the 1958 season, developed a swivel sweep which was used to lift water and soil from the lower layers.1958 – Level 17 bone layer.1958 – At the end of the first season, a structure was built over the pit to prevent erosion of the walls.1958 – The buffalo jump consisted of low cliffs of Paskapoo sandstone over which bison were driven. Culture bearing deposits below the cliff extended to a depth of over 20 feet and indicated continual and extended use for a period of over 1500 years. Radiocarbon and obsidian hydration dates pbtained from the site indicate a time range between AD100 and AD1600. An associated prehistoric campsite was located in the meadow below the jump.1958 – Bison skulls.1958 – Crew in the kitchen.1958 – Most of the artefacts collected at the Old Women’s Buffalo Jump Site were projectile points. These tipped the darts or arrows that were used to dispatch the buffalo not killed by the fall.1958 – Levels 24-29 date to around AD 100. Points similar to the Pelican Lake variety were found in layers 24, 26 and 28.1958 – Level 14 dates to around AD 900; the transition between level 14 (Upper Member) and level 15 (Lower Member) to around AD 600; levels 15-22. Points similar to the Pelican Lake variety were found in layers 17-19, 24 and 26.1958 – Levels 9-10 date to around AD 1100 and contain mainly Paskapoo, Nanton, Lewis and Irvine points; levels 11-14 date to around Ad 900 and contain mainly Nanton, Lewis, Irvine, and High River points; the transition between level 14 (Upper Member) and level 15 (Lower Member) dates to around AD 600; and levels 15-16 date to around AD 300 and contain a variety of heavier, corner notched Besant points.1959 – In 1959, excavation at the site was resumed by the Lower Pit – about 40 feet downhill from the Upper Pit excavation of the previous summer. Operations during the second year were directed by Tyler Bastien and D. R. King.1959 – Bison bones in situ.
1959 – The Old women’s Buffalo Jump, or Cayley Kill Site, was utilized by the Blackfoot in prehistoric times. It is located in a coulee, some 10 miles south of High River and 2 miles northwest of the town of Cayley, Alberta. It was excavated during the summers of 1958 and 1959 by field crews from the Glenbow Foundation.
The photos above were collected from Archives Canada. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on their website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta and Western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness-
based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.
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