The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-06
Relics of Indians
Brought to Light
In The OZarks

Elk Springs, Mo-, April G.-Shcl-
tiers beneath overhanging limestone
bluffs along the White and Cowskin
rivers in the Ozarks of Missouri and
Arkansas are today giving up to
science the relics of Il prehistoric
race that inhabited this section up
wards of Il thousand years ago. The
work of excavation is being done
near here by an expedition from
the Museum of the American Indian,
Heye Foundation.
Buried deep in the dry dust of
centuries beneath these formations
made their homes, these relics are
being unearthed with no little diff
Guilty. A cloud Of powdery dust
arises as the workers search the de-
posits for traces of civilization
that is still unidentified. Use of
masks often is necessary. For the
present, the ancient people of the
region are being referred to by NJ.
r. Harrington, in charge Of the eX-
petition, as the Ozark bluff-dwellers.
They have not been identified as the
ancestors of any modern Indian
tribe.
In one of the rock-shelters, par
ticularly on the Cowskin or Elk riy-
er, the expedition has found near
the surface traces of different
and more modern, but still pre-col-
onial Indian race. These Indians,
according to Mr.. Harrington, proba-
bly, were the Osages or some relat-
ed tribe. 1t is estimated that even
or four hundred years old. Those
left by the ear-throwing bluff
dwellers Of the Ozarks, which also
have been uncovered, are probably
upwards Of thousands years old.
Everything so far found is purely
aboriginal, Mr.. Harrington explain
ed, not the slightest trace of the
white mans handiwork or influence
having been discovered. The speci-
mems include basketrY, woven tex
tiles, wooden articles, implements of
tone and bone and even pieces of
pottery. Some of the articles no
! doubt were buried by the ancient
dwellers for safe keeping, it is be-
lieved by the excavators, while 9th
ers simply wore out and were dis
carded or lost in the ashes and
trash of generations that has ac-
cumulated beneath the bluffs. At
some places the deposits have been
found so we'll protected by the over
hanging rock formation that they
are absolutely dry, which has re-
suited in remarkable preservation.
1t was a visit by Mr.. Harrington
at the home in Seneca, Mo-, of Dr.
w. c. Barnard, who had one Of the
largest private collections of Indian
relics in existence at that time, that
resulted in the present expedition
That was in the fall of 1914.
! "Among his specimens" said Mr.
| Harrington, "were number OF
| pieces of baskets, textile fabrics and
wooden articles which gave every
evidence of being prehistoric. Know
that such perishable articles dating
from that period are practically un-
known east of Utah and New Mexi.
co, inquired as to their origin and
was surprised to learn that they
came from the Ozarks, especially
from the district along the upper
White River, where they had been
found in dry deposits beneath over
hanging bluffs. / then and there
planned to explore some of these
rocky bluffs or rock Shelters as
they are called by psychologists, but
the opportunity did not come unit
May, 1922, when the present expedi-
ton set forth from the museum"
That expedition consisted of three
members of the museum staff. II
included besides Mr.. Harrington, &
O. Turbyfill, who had accompanied
Mr.. Harrington on previous expedi.
tions, and D. A. Cadzow, who hat