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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Analysis

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The buffalo jump is a cliff formation which Native Americans used to hunt and kill plain bison in large quantities. This technique was used as early as 12,000 years ago and continued on into at least 1500 AD. This technique involved hunter herding the bison and driving them over a cliff, the fall ending either killing them or at least breaking their legs and rendering them immobile. Other tribe members would wait at the bottom of the cliff with spears and bows to finish the bison off. This mass killing often involved a herd of at least 100 bison. Head-Smashed-In easily showcases a light on the way of life of the plains people as well as a great picture of subsistence hunting techniques, a technique that continued on into the late 19th …show more content…

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump was first used 5,780 years ago. This site tells the story of the First Nations and their relationship with buffalo for 6,000 years. According to David Thomas Hurst’s book, Exploring Ancient Native America, radiocarbon dating was used on the buffalo bison deposits helping to pinpoint the time of usage to around 5,700 years ago. Radiocarbon dating is a technique used by scientists to learn the ages of biological specimens. The method uses the isotope carbon-14 which is radioactive. Using that isotope and measuring its half-life to the carbon in another substance, scientists are able to tell the age of that substance up to about 60,000 years. (McManamon, …show more content…

The Plains people had an amazing understanding of the topography around them as well as the behavior of the buffalo they were hunting. The site is a great representation of the Plains people, their culture, and their evolution in their techniques and traditions over time. Many people wonder why Head-Smashed-In is a historic site, let alone a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Historic Site. Head-Smashed-In contains a variety of culture remains as well as multiple sites ranging from the driving lane cairns to the vision quest sites. Head-Smashed-In is one of the only sites in the world to have remained largely undisturbed and intact. It is also one of the oldest sites.
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump shows the cultural chronology of the Plains people through the undisturbed remains. It provides scientists with an amazing opportunity to trace the evolution of the communal buffalo jumping from the beginning to it’s last leg. The site was used continuously for nearly 6,000 years, and it’s repetitive use over such a long time period is a proof alone of how ideal of a site Head-Smashed-In was for buffalo jumping as well as the bravery and skill of the hunters who used it. The 32 feet deep bone deposit easily shows the success of the generations of hunters at this site as well as the evolution of their tools and techniques of the Plains

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