Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-11-28
REMNANTS OF OLD
VILLAGE FOUND
NEAR GLENDTVE

apdtI' oOHieWAeIe east OF the center
OF the house floor was an irregular de-
preston averaging about two feet In
diameter and four inches deep. evi-
IDENTIFY a fire pit
Just west of the pit was a fairly
large pile Of ashes, apparently raked
from the fire
In north and south line at equal
distances from the center Of the house
and about four feet apart were two
additional post holes, also about five
inches in diameter and Is inches
deep.
All these post holes contained bison
bones, evidently tamped into the holes
to steady the posts.
About two feet outside Of the house
and just south Of the entrance Law a !
cache pit. 1t was approximately one
and one-half feet deep and about the
same width with a rounded bottom /
and a smooth mud-plastered interior.
1t contained earth mixed with white
ashes and charcoal
In addition to the house site. a
mound was discovered about TOO feet
north of the datum point. It occupied
rather level area and was definitely
diScernible before excavations began.
Perfectly Circular
1t was AZ feet in diameter and was
so perfectly circular that it might
have been laid out by some mechanical
means, perhaps by drawing a circle
with stick and cord.
The mound was level on top with
the edges of the top and bottom
clearly defined.
In the mound was a large supply of
human bones, particularly skull frag-
ments Included in the collection were
also few fragments Of pottery, ami
NAL bones and other artifacts identi-
cal with those discovered elsewhere at
the site.
There were no postholes or other s
features. a
The 20 cache pits demonstrated two S
variations. Finger marks could stin be S
seen in the smooth clay plastered v
walls. Some Of these walls were six c
Ieet IN depth and five feet in diameter.
occasionally they penetrated a sand 4
stratum below the clay silt.
Some were partly filled with humus
and clay SILT and contained numerous :
artifacts, ash deposits. charcoal and
animal bones.
Continued excavations unearthed n
pottery of designs which formed an
Utmost complete mental picture of this
RIDES past, its reason for deserving
he Dakota plains, and its method of
lbode after settling near where the nj
ity Of Glendive was to spring cen h
uries later. .,
found Many Articles b,
Bone scrapers, knives, proiectile di
oints, both large and small, polished
tone war hammer heads. mauls. fo
rinding stones and pits, shaft q
rubbing stones, dishes, pipes. h
eads and pendants, stone anvils, sew
lg awl, bone hooks for strengthening w
pear and arrow shafts. projectiIes sr
Manufactured from antler points, "a
ison bone digging tools, and even 81
air Of snow goggles constructed from
one with a small slit cut through sp
hich the wearer evidently peered
gainst the glare of the sun, all came or
} light as the excavators toiIed. or
Thus the men who delve into the ia.
aSt have scored another success, and tiI
a archaeological channels which en- ex
ace countless hours Of toll and study trt
ave cast light on the lives and habits of
one Of Americas early-day races. ste
All work on the Glendive project sic
as carried on by the works projects SITS
and the artifacts re- no
'aled were brought to Eastern Mon an
ma Normal school at Billings for fur be
er study, tracing and photograph VII
2. me
DR.. Harry Holbert Teurney-High
en- Of the Montana State univer- thi
y faculty, now in the armed forces. pol
implied the reams Of manuscripts trs
ID made possible the publication of lea
book-form manual describing In de- dol
u the work, what it revealed, and an mt
alysis Of the findings-their con- Of
ction with the past. fee
Considerable support was given to Der
2 work by DR.. L. B. McNullen, presi- T
Mt Of the normal school at Billings, sec
d for several years secretary and or
itor Of the Proceedings Of the In AGA
IN Academy of Science. For years. yea
. McMullen has felt scientific work, ira.
which Montana furnished a richly sup
len field of possibilities, should be ing
couraged and carried In the state. dog
WHY but surely his hopes are being G
Ilized, and although such work will cial
ely suffer from the war, its inn aid
.tance mas neen brought TO men OF per
ion so forcibly that there is little in
lbt 1t will be resumed with in ner
ased vigor once the world struggle MAJ
ended. bot
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