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.
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.
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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