Bismarck daily tribune., 1915-10-05
Or. LIBBY FINDS
INDIAN VILLAGE J
Head of N. D. Historical Society
Makes Important Discovery
Near Beulah, N. D.

An important discovery, wsicll
makes 1t necessary to re-'write large
portion OF the history of the Indian
tribes of Ncrth and South Dakota was
recently made 5y Prof o. G. Libby
professor Of history in the University
Of North Dakota, and we'll known ex
pert and scholar in Indian lore anc
history. Prof. Libby recently made q
find such as delight, the heart CT the
true archec'.ogist and makes it hardly
possible for him to keep his enthusi
asm within reasonable 4 bounds. He
discovered the remains of a hitherto
unknown Indian village, unknown sc
far as the white man is concerned, anG
also unknown to many Of the indians
themselves. This village is located
near Beulah three mites from the
Knife River, and hence q consider
able distance from the Missouri, an(
in place where the Arikara or Rec
as the tribe is more commonly known
have not hitherto been supposed tt
have made settlements. Vi, ..
Some hundred villages belonging tc
one or. other 81 the three tribes Of
one or other Of the three ;r;Des OF tie
Arikara or Rec, as they are more ccrn
nonly called, tle Mandan and the Hif
atsa or Grasventre tribes have beer
located up and down the Missouri riv
er. 1t Is interesting to know how the
traces of these almost o5literated vii
lagos are recognized by the schola,
versed in sucil matters, and how he
knows whether a village is Of cchlpar
atively recent times or of a more re
mote period. The Indians Of these
three tribes Quilt their homes in cir
cular form, first making a stcs,t skele
'on Of cottonwood poles. Over this
framework they placed clay nike
with straw and any other binding ma
terial t;ley could find. ~, B..
How Villages are Recognized
Tile fireplace was inyarib,y locate
in the exact center OF the house. Thcr
was also one door but no windows. A
lime passed on, the clay aduall
sagged away from the centec - TIA
"oof and collected in theiker rolis o
the outer edges. Daily the India
woman swept the dirt floor OF he
house. This constant sweeping caue
ID the flocr to be rounded out like T.
'ottcin of some huge mixing bowl
When houses ceased to be inhabited
either through the devastation of trit
IL wars, or their abandonment fo
newer hunting fields or because of TN
1omadic instinct Of their inhabitants
n time the cottonwood poles suojec'
I'd to moisture and neglect would 70 !
md the whole structure would fall tf
he ground. When this happened, tn
tebris would naturally take. a circr
ar shape, and there would be a. rouni+
i'm OF clay forming the circumference
caused from the heavy accu1aulatio'
'rOund the lower edge of the roof anf
he sides, referred to above, while j.
he center corresponding to the t:li'
covering of clay over the center OF TN
'oof, there would he only q thin laye.
f debris Because OF the rounded on,
!oor, when one attempts 70 walk owe
uc.l a ruined house, he fine
is feet sinking into a gentl,
eclivity which slcpes down grac
ally to the lowest spot in tt, |
enter. He also discovers a gap in tn,
utslde rim which marks the plact
rhere the door of the house was lc
ated. Digging down a little in tn
xact geometric center, he always
nds ashes clearly Indicating tie spo |
occupied by the fire place. 4
People unversed in Indian histor'
nd customs, when they cc'ne upo'
uch formations as those made lib.
hese villages, call them rifle pits, a.
hey have that appearance. T.ae pee
le living in the vicinity of DR.. Lib
VS. newly discovered village informe>
i'm that they had found a rife ri
l their neighbor1ood. Knowing wha
llc.l a report invariably leads to, hr
isited Beulah and was taken If, az
uto to the spot and there discovere!
he village. He estimates that it con /
aimed about $50 lodges, as the houses
re designated. Unfortunately, he wa
OF able to explore the whole village
nd ascertain its exact extent because
corn field had been planted over par
Il