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Biesterfeldt: a Post-Contact Coalescent Site on the Northeastern Plains

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Biesterfeldt: a Post-Contact Coalescent Site on the Northeastern Plains SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY NUMBER 15 Biesterfeldt: A Post-Contact Coalescent Site on the Northeastern Plains W. Raymond ^ood SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1971 SERIAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION The emphasis upon pubHcations as a means of diffusing knowledge was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan for the Insti­ tution, Joseph Henry articulated a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge not strictiy professional." This keynote of basic research has been adhered to over the years in the issuance of thousands of tides in serial publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Annals of Flight Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to ^oology Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes original articles and monographs dealing with the research and collections of its several museums and offices and of professional colleagues at other institutions of learning. These papers report newly acquired facts, synoptic interpretations of data, or original theory in specialized fields. Each publica­ tion is distributed by mailing lists to libraries, laboratories, institutes, and interested specialists throughout the world. S. DILLON RIPLEY Secretary Smithsonian Institution Official publication date is handslamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CARD 76-608033 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1971 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing OflSce Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1.50 ABSTRACT Wood, W. Raymond. Biesterfeldt: A Post-Contact Coalescent Site on the Northeastern Plains. Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, number 15, 109 pages, 1971. Biesterfeldt is a forti­ fied village of about sixty earth lodges on the Sheyenne River in eastern North Dakota. A large central earth lodge faces a central plaza, with dwellings randomly set elsewhere in the village. The site setting, village plan, and structures are like those of historic Mandan and Arikara villages. Pottery attributes are well within the range of sedentary Missouri River groups, and only a few elements distinguish Biesterfeldt pottery from that of the Arikara. The site is dated about 1750 to 1790, when trade goods had displaced many native tools of bone and stone. In the thirty years since W. D. Strong dug the site, new data have accumulated which require revisions in the interpretation of the Biesterfeldt component: the artifact complex conforms to that of Post- Contact Coalescent sites of the Plains Village pattern in the Missouri River trench to the west. The identification of Biesterfeldt as Cheyenne is based on circumstantial evidence; its occu­ pants are uncertain, but the Cheyenne provide the most economical hypothesis. The Cheyenne migration from the Minnesota area was by individual groups, not as a tribal body. Sedentary villages on the Minnesota River and on the Missouri were coeval with the village (or villages) on the Sheyenne River. The latter river valley was occupied after 1700, perhaps by 1724, and was abandoned about 1790. Present data suggest the Sheyenne-James region was a marginal one in the Northeastern Plains sub-area. It was not occupied by groups moving from the Missouri valley; rather, horti­ cultural groups in the Northeastern Plains may have been subjected to cultural processes analogous to those which were responsible for the development of the Coalescent tradition in the Missouri valley. Thus, they participated in the development of the Plains Village pattern in an area well removed from the Missouri River, where the Coalescent tradition reached its fullest expression. The Missouri River was crossed by some Cheyenne in the 1600s, and the last of them aban­ doned it about 1840, providing about two centuries for the tribe as a whole to abandon a settled horticultural way of life. A review of purported Cheyenne sites along the Missouri River re­ veals that none of them are clearly identifiable as such. Only three of these village locations are not now flooded by the Oahe Reservoir: one of them is near the Heart River, and two are on the Grand River. The Cheyenne movement onto the High Plains was motivated by settling an area advantageous for trade purposes, rich in bison, and temporarily removed from military pressure by the Dakota. Preface During the summer of 1938, a joint Columbia University-State Historical Society of North Dakota expedition conducted excavations at the Biesterfeldt^ or Sheyenne- Cheyenne site, a protohistoric Indian earth lodge village in southeastern North Dakota. This work, carried out during a 20-day period from July 8 through July 28, was directed by William Duncan Strong, and was the last field work in the Plains which he personally and individually directed. The only account of the work was published in 1940 by Strong, who summarized the excavated features and cultural material from the site, and sources for its possible identi­ fication as a village of the formerly semi-sedentary Cheyenne, in a review of archeological finds in the Northern Plains up to 1939 (Strong, 1940, pp. 370-376) . In a footnote on the title page of this paper. From History to Prehistory in the North­ ern Great Plains, Strong acknowledged his indebtedness to the work of Joseph Jablow and other graduate students then in the Department of Anthropology, Columbia Univer­ sity. Parts of Jablow's studies of the Cheyenne Indians, later published in his doctoral dis­ sertation (Jablow, 1951), were incorporated into Strong's summary. Jablow had ac­ companied Strong to the site as a member of the 1938 field party, which also included Robert A. Elder, Jr., Nathan Hauben, Edward A. Milligan, Arnold Mitchell, Martin Osborne, Sigmund Sameth, Carlyle S. Smith, and Clarence W. Weiant. George F. Will and Russell Reid of Bismarck, North Dakota, also assisted in the excavations during occa­ sional visits to the site. The twenty days in 1938 devoted to the excavation of this site began with the establish­ ment of a tent camp on the banks of the Sheyenne River, not far from the site. Strong was in direct charge of the excavation and most of the notes on the work, and a field diary, were composed in a spiral notebook under his hand. The following extracts from his diary will serve as background information on the progress of the field work. The diary was written in off moments, usually at the end of a hard day's work. These extracts, therefore, have been heavily edited, since they consisted largely of disconnected notes; no purpose would be served by presenting them in their original form. Friday, July 8 Up at 7:00. Breakfast in camp. Spent the morning finishing camp, rain trenches, etc. .Went to work at 1:00. Began palisade Trench 1, the cross section of House 23, and Cache 1 near House 23. The pottery so far obtained is grit-tempered, and while it has a distinctive look, it is quite similar to Mandan-Hidatsa, etc., ceramics from the Missouri River. Rather surprising in light of traditions. Grooved mauls and very heavy mussel shells are quite abundant. Smith and Mitchell checked the Libby-Stout 1908 map of the site and found it quite accurate. Had a splendid swim in the evening—the beach is hard and the water about six feet deep. Clear. Nice evening in camp around the fire. Weather fine. River rising. Saturday, July 9 Had a swim just before a shower this evening. To Lisbon after dinner. 1 The site was on the farm of Mr. Louis Biesterfeld, but,through an error, a terminal "t" was added to a map and notes made in 1908, and this error has persisted through the years. The terminal "t" is retained here as is conventional except in reference to the former landowner, with apologies to the present owner (Ruth Johnson) and operator (Irwin Johnson) , Mr. Biesterfeld's heirs. Wednesday, July 13 Warm day, but a strong wind took the curse off. Work was interrupted by Mr. Biesterfeld . who feared the other heirs would object to our work, thinking it would ruin the site. We showed him the nature of our work, and arranged to get assurances of its scientific value from Reid, etc. Can go on with work already begun but not start new excavations. Went to town in the afternoon and called Will, arranging for a letter and for a later visit. Hope all goes well, as this is one of the prettiest excava­ tions I have seen for a long time. Given two more weeks we can do a beautiful job. Thursday, July 14 Good day. Smith making a map of House 4 House 23 was smoothly opened on the upper floor level and then, since we couldn't find the postholes, we had to chop the floor down looking for them. By evening we had two center posts and other features. Friday, July 15 Hot day. Got permission to extend the excavations today after Will's letter arrived. Cleaned up and mapped House 23. Opened several "caches," one or two of which were duds. Caught up with cataloging and numbering. Went to Milnor[a nearby town] tonight. Saw a fine display of Northern Lights. Sunday, July 17 Hot day, mostly spent in camp, with letters, notes and visitors. Played a ball game with local nine in the afternoon.
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