sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ancient technology, Digging stick, Hammerstone, Hand axe, Stone tool, Technology

Ancient of the Trade

Lesson 3A 3 What Is Ancient Stone Technology? Stone technology uses raw materials to provide tools for daily survival.

Arch Activity: Time 8

Lesson 3B 13 What Non-stone Materials Were Used for ? Bone, , and shell were non-stone materials used for ancient technology-

Arch Activity: Toot Time II (Antler and Bone) 16

Lesson 3C 21 What Technology Did Ancient People Use to Harvest and Process Plants? Ancient people used stone, bone, , and antler tools to harvest and process plants.

Arch Activity: Making Pemmican 24

Lesson 3D 25 What Ancient Technology Assisted in Food Preparation? and made of animal hides assisted in food preparation.

Arch Activity: Ancient Pottery 28

Lesson 3E 31 How Was Ancient Art Created? Ancient peopleusedtechnology to create art to express themselves.

Arch Activity: Ancient Artists 35

Lesson 3F 37 How Do Archaeologists Analyze and Date Ancient Technology? Several scientific methods of analysis and assist archaeol ogists in their study of ancient technology.

Arch Activity: Determining the Age of Artifacts 42

Lesson 3G 45 Who Is an Archaeologist Who Studies Ancient Technology? Ann M. Johnson is an archaeologist who studies ancient technology.

Lesson 3H 49 Who Is an Archaeologist Who Studies Ancient Technology? Troy Helmick is an archaeologist who studies ancient technology. Lesson 3A—Narrative: What Stone technology uses raw materials Is Ancient Stone Technology? to provide tools for daily survival.

Technology is the manufacture stone hand-.

and use of tools to cope with One end of the daily life. Today, technology hand-axe was includes everything from kitchen shaped into a to . It includes the point. It was used processing and packaging of foods in in , food our grocery stores. It is responsible for preparation, and our ' ability to land a space many other tasks. craft on Mars. Tools make our lives Later, prehistoric easier, more efficient, and better. people made more

In the prehistoric past, tools gave refined stone and core tools, in This large block of black people the ability to survive, just as which long, narrow flakes () shows evidence they do today. Their needs for food, were created from a prepared piece of of percussion flaking. It comes from a prehis shelter, safety, and expression were raw material (core). The earliest toric quarry near exactly the same as ours. But past prehistoric groups who migrated to McAllister in south technology relied on raw materials that and Montana brought western Montana. are quite different from those this sophisticated tech Courtesy Montana Archaeological Society. commonly used in our modern world. nology with them. Ancient technology depended The earliest Montana stone tools heavily upon the use of stone. Stone is are about twelve thousand years old. an inorganic material that survives in They are beautiful points. soil for thousands of years. Stone tools Stone tool use continued here until are found in archaeological sites about two hundred years ago. Great throughout the world, including skill was required to make stone tools. Montana. Tools made of stone are the Ancient people selected special kinds most common kind of artifacts studied of stone that were easy to , but by archaeologists. The word lithic kept a sharp edge. (sometimes (from the Greek word lithos) refers to referred to as "," "" or objects made of stone, as in "") is such a stone. Raw chert , the Old . comes in a variety of colors—brown, The earliest known stone tools in yellow, red, green, and even blue. A the world were pebble tools. They useful quality of chert is that even- were made by very primitive in sized flakes can be removed from it— some two million years ago. in a controlled manner—by carefully They are intentionally broken rocks striking its edge with another or with edges that indicate that they were piece of antler. Prehistoric people used as tools. These early humans used sometimes baked or heated chert in pebble tools for crushing animal bones. pits dug into the ground. This About five hundred thousand years process of heat treatment drew out ago, more advanced groups in the water in the rock and made it and Asia depended on the easier to work. , basalt, and

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-3 tool. Then the flintknappers used antler tools in pressure flaking the stone into a finished, sharp tool. If a piece of flint broke in the wrong place while being worked, it was either reworked or discarded. Archaeologists find waste flakes or "chips" at sites where ancient people knapped stone. Many primitive-looking tools found near quarries were probably made by children or adults who were just learning to make stone tools. Some stone tools were designed specifically for hunting, butchering,

"" is the porcelanite are other types of stone hide working, or cutting. Others served process of making stone used by prehistoric people in Montana. multiple purposes. Unshaped flakes of tools by flaking special Obsidian and basalt are volcanic in chert and obsidian were often used for kinds of rocks. origin and are usually black in color. a single task, and then discarded. Percussion flaking involves using a Many kinds of raw toolstone are Hunting required stone (left found throughout Montana. A quarry projectile points, often called hand) to strike a block is a specific place where people "." Stone projectile points of stone that can be obtained this toolstone. Prehistoric were hafted, or tied with sinew, onto chipped, sometimes called a "core" (right people often traveled great distances a wooden shaft. The earliest people in hand). Courtesy Kootenai to collect particular kinds of toolstone. Montana used spear points from National Forest. One of the places they got obsidian, twelve thousand to nine thousand for example, was Obsidian Cliff in years ago. These hunters needed to get Yellowstone National Park. But these very close to animals in order to kill early people also gathered other tool them with a spear. Some archeological stone, especially chert, on mountain sites with very old spear points have sides and in riverbeds wherever they been found in Montana. These include encountered it in Montana. the Anzick Site near Wilsall, the The crafting of stone tools by Site near Broadus, and the carefully removing pieces of material McHaffie Site near Helena. is called knapping, or sometimes About nine thousand years ago, "flintknapping" (even though other Montana's prehistoric groups began to stones besides flint were used). use the atlatl, or thrower, to Prehistoric people used a fist-sized throw long narrow darts tipped with rock called a hammerstone to craft projectile points. The atlatl featured a raw stone into tools. With a wooden throwing board in which the stone or large piece of antler, prehis dart was placed. Throwing an atlatl toric flintknappers carefully chipped was like swinging a tennis racket over away excess material like modern-day one's head and propelling the dart at a sculptors. This is called percussion target. A hunter had to stand and put flaking. It gave a rough shape to the his entire body into to propel

Montana Historical Society 3-4 Ancient Teachings the dart. Because it had a much greater range than earlier weapons, the atlatl allowed hunters to distance them selves from their prey, making hunting much safer. Parts of atlatls have been found in a few sites in Montana, but usually only the stone tips have been preserved. Prehistoric people made stone atlatl projectile points of many shapes. Some styles relate to particular time periods. Depending on and used again and again. Ancient How to make a projec the style or styles found at a particular hunters also resharpened and tile point Select a piece of chert, obsidian, or any site, archaeologists can then estimate reshaped their points until they were other fine-grained stone the site's age and chronology—its beyond repair. Only then did they that, when broken, placement in time. Today, atlatl enthu throw the points away. exhibits a conchoidal siasts hold contests to test their skill Stone tools served many purposes. fracture (a technical term meaning that it using this ancient . When a animal was killed, breaks just right!). Strike Prehistoric people in Montana used ancient people used stone butchering the stone with a harder the atlatl until about two thousand knives and sharp flakes to cut up the stone to break off a years ago. Then the bow and animal. They used stone scrapers to large flake, or relatively flat piece like the one on (using true "arrowheads") replaced it clean animal hides. And they used the left. Then shape the as the preferred hunting weapon. The stone to make holes in wood, flake by chipping off had advantages over bone, and leather. Archaeologists have smaller flakes from the the atlatl. This new weapon could many technical names for the various sides and surfaces with a rock, a bone fragment, shoot longer distances with greater types of stone tools. or an antler tip. To finish accuracy. And it required less Because stone is an inorganic the point, chip the sides ment by the hunter, making it less material—that is, it does not decay finely to create sharp likely that the animals being hunted easily—stone artifacts are more abun edges. Asa final step, Clovis points were would be startled and run away. dant than other types of prehistoric "fluted" by popping a Montana Indians continued to use the artifacts. Remember, if you find an flake off the two faces to bow and arrow until the late 1800s, , it is best to leave it in place. make a shallow even after guns were introduced. If you find an artifact on public land channel. This point can be fastened directly to a Most projectile points and other that you think an archaeologist wooden shaft with stone tools that people find today were should know about, call your local sinew (animal tendon) not lost by prehistoric people. They Forest or Bureau of Land and natural glue. were thrown away and replaced when office, or the State Flintknappcr, Alan Skin/ill, 1987. Courtesy they were no longer usable. Projectile Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in Montana Historical points were used like pencils are Helena. Professional archaeologists Society. today. When a pencil point breaks, it is who work for these organizations not thrown away. It is resharpened study and protect ancient sites.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-5 Lesson 3A—Vocabulary: What Is Ancient Stone Technology?

atlatl

basalt

blade and core

bow and arrow

butchering knives

chert

chronology

flintknapper

flintknapping

hafted

hammerstone

hand-axe

heat treatment

inorganic

knapping

lithic

obsidian

3-6 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3A—Vocabulary: What Is Ancient Stone Technology? (continued)

Paleolithic

pebble tools

percussion flaking

porcelanite

pressure flaking

projectile points

quarry

scrapers

sinew

spear points

stone

stone

stone tool technology

technology

toolstone

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-7 Lesson 3A—Arch Activity: Tool Time

Grades: 3-8 Materials:

Time: 50 minutes Technology Tool Kit (optional)

Content Area: , , and pencils

draft

Who: whole class and small group Arch Journal

Objective and Outcome 3. Have groups trade artifacts (or •Students will learn how ancient pictures) until each group has looked

people used natural resources as tools at all four artifact classes.

to adapt to their everyday world. 4. Have each group present their •Students will examine prehistoric conclusions about what/how the arti tools (from the Technology Tool Kit or facts in one of the groups were used. pictures of tools if kit is unavailable) Also have them talk about modern and will write down modern analogs to analogs. Discuss. prehistoric tools. 5. Once the class discussion has •Students will compare the function of ended, have students write—in their prehistoric tools with their modern-day Arch Journal—their conclusions about

counterparts. how prehistoric tools were used and what they learned from this activity.

Activity Have them list their conclusions by 1. Divide the class into four groups. artifact classes. Instruct each group to select a writer

and a presenter. Pass out artifact Extensions

collections (or pictures) to each group. 3-5: Give each group a certain class of arti • vocabulary. facts (i.e. one group receives flintknap- See.- Lesson 3A—Vocabulary ping tools—Artifact Group 1; another hunting tools—Artifact Group 2; 6-8:

another receives butchering and hide • Challenge students to place the processing tools—Artifact Group 3; and projectile points in rough chronological the other group tools order based on the information like drills and awls—Artifact Group 4). provided in the narrative. Have them 2. Have each group look at the arti determine whether the points were facts for 5-10 minutes and determine used with , atlatls, or the bow how they might be used. Have them and arrow. Have them assess which write down on paper the function of technology is the oldest and which is the artifacts. Also have them brain the most recent. Challenge students to storm what tool we use today with the read about archaeological sites and the same function. If we don't have a tool kinds of stone tools found at them. today that compares, have them figure See.- Montana Archaeology out why not and write it down. Resource Catalog: Student Reading List.

3-8 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3A—Arch Activity: Tool Time Group 1

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-9 Lesson 3A—Arch Activity: Tool Time Group 2

3-10 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3A—Arch Activity: Tool Time Group 3

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-11 Lesson 3A—Arch Activity: Tool Time Group 4

3-12 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3B—Narrative: What Bone, antler, and shell were non- Non-stone Materials Were stone materials used for ancient Used for Ancient Technology? technology.

Do you ever wonder how people of the past made their clothes without needles, thread, or a sewing ? Ancient people manufactured their , moccasins, containers, and tipi cover ings with bone needles and awls. They used their awls, which were about the size of a embroidery needle, to pierce holes in animal hides. Their bone needles, about the size of toothpicks, had a tiny hole in one end just like modem sewing needles. They used sinew—animal tendons—and plant as thread. One ancient people made was a parfleche. A parfleche was a hide container for storing dried food, clothing, and personal belongings. It was made by sewing together pieces of animal hide, especially from bison. Ancient people used the fibers of sagebrush, cedar, yucca, and other plants to make string and cordage. They used cordage in many ways, just like a modem ball of string. They used (Weirs are fences or other enclosures Prehistoric people used it to tie things together and to make set in a stream to catch fish.) Some stone and non-stone organic materials as tools . Archaeologists rarely find Indian tribes—like the Blackfeet—do for different activities. Can ancient string and cordage in Montana not like to eat much fish. The ancient you guess how ihe bone archaeological sites. Sometimes they people here may have shared this tools (#3 and #6 in this do find small cordage and frag dietary preference. This might explain group) were used? Courtesy Montana ments in and rockshelters like the absence of fish bones in many Historical Society. Pictograph Cave near Billings in south Montana archaeological sites. spusq pue eastern Montana. Ancient people used shaped bone SSAJnO 3AOLU3J O] S3\CH\ Some ancient people made their tools to butcher animals and to process sin uSnaiip paiind ai3A\ fishhooks and fishing out of hides. Bone was also the material they syeus Moire uapooM bone. These artifacts are not very used to make beads for necklaces. —J3U3!i)8rej)s ijpus suoq (g# saprq SupuoM jqj common in Montana. Here, people They drilled the holes in their beads pasn jadej^s auojs e joj caught fish with nets and weirs. with stone drills. They carved, or 3|puGq suoq (e# -

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-13 incised, some beads and Ancient people used antler and

other bone ornaments with just like they did bone. They used

abstract . At tools made of and elk antler for

Pictograph Cave, archaeolo flintknapping, as digging sticks, and as gists have found bone handles for some stone tools like

gaming pieces and a small and knives. They also used ladles, carved bone turtle effigy, or , bowls, and tongs

figure. The game pieces are made of wood and bison horn. believed to have been used Many of these non-stone artifacts like we use dice today. were perishable, that is, they were Montana's prehistoric made of organic materials—like plants,

This prehistoric woman people also used shell to make decora wood, bone, leather, and antler—that uses a slender bone with tive items. They did not travel to the decompose quickly if exposed to air. For a tapered lip as an "awl" coast to get shells. Instead, they this reason, non-stone artifacts are to make holes in leather obtained them in trade with other rarely found in Montana. Wind, rain, for sewing. Courtesy

Kootenni National Forest. tribes who lived closer to the ocean. snow, and the chemical agents in soil Archaeologists have found shell beads cause organic materials to decay over a and ornaments in Montana sites. period of years or tens of years. In Montana, archaeologists have mostly found non-stone artifacts in caves and rockshelters, where they are protected from the weather and do not decay as rapidly. Even so, archaeologists usually only find scraps and pieces of baskets, twine , and hide clothing in these sites. In , perishable artifacts must be kept in special, temperature- controlled display cases and storage boxes. This prevents further decay and deterioration of these organic artifacts. Archaeologists get excited when they find leather, wood, antler, or bone artifacts preserved in the archaeological record. Sites with perishable artifacts usually give us more information than sites where only stone tools are found. Finding artifacts made of organic mate rial provides us with a better picture of

A chipped stone blade or the range of ancient point could be hafted to people used. As archaeologists gain a bone handle to make a more detail about ancient daily life, they for cutting cordage

made of twisted plant can provide a more complete story of fibers. Courtesy Kootenai Montana's early peoples. National Forest.

3-14 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3B—Vocabulary: What Non-stone Materials Were Used for Ancient Technology?

awl

baskets

cordage

effigy

incised

nets

organic

parfleche

perishable

smew

trade

weirs

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-1 5 Lesson 3B—Arch Activity: Tool Time II (Antler and Bone)

Activity Follow Lesson 3A—Arch Activity (Tool Time) using antler and bone tools from the Technology Tool Kit (or pictures of them if the kit is unavailable). Follow all procedures, substituting antler and bone tools for the stone tools.

For the enclosed drawings: Group 1 = hunting tools (atlatl fore- shaft, bone-handle knife, bone fish hook) Group 2 = butchering/hide working tools (bone-handle , bone beamer, bone fiesher, bone-handle knife) Group 3 = knapping tools (antler hard-hammer, antler-tine pressure- flaker, hide pad, hide pad) Group 4 = manufacturing tools (bone awls, bone needles, pitch

stick, sinew)

Extension

3-8: • Research vocabulary See.- Lesson 3B—Vocabulary

3-16 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3B-4/Activity: Tool Time II Group 1

y^^^:Sc,-

'V*i*"' •

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-1 7 Lesson 3B-4/Activity: Tool Time II Group 2

i A

A i* - I

Montana Historical Society 3-18 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3B-4/Activity: Tool Time II Group 3

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-! 9 Lesson 3B-4/Activity: Tool Time II Group 4

Montana Historical Society 3-20 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3C—Narrative: What Ancient people used stone, bone, Technology Did Ancient wood, and antler tools to harvest People Use to Harvest and and process plants. Process Plants?

Archaeologists focus on stone state flower) and camas, were dug with and bone artifacts because a . The digging stick was these are the most common three to four feet long and made of antler artifacts found at sites. But they or wood. The digging end was pushed sometimes find plants and seeds into the ground to move the root up to preserved at prehistoric sites in the surface. It worked like a modern-day Montana. These discoveries demon dandelion digger. The end of a wooden strate the importance of plant digging stick was hardened in a campfire. resources to prehistoric peoples. Most This made the digging end durable and seeds and plant remains are found in kept it from breaking. The handles of ancient campfires. They are often digging sticks were made of deer or elk charred and hard to identify. antler. Styles of digging sticks varied Plants were always a significant among Montana Indian tribes. Blackfeet food source for Montana's ancient Indians used the wood of birch trees for people. Archaeologists find the most their digging sticks. Other western evidence of plant food use between Montana tribes used hawthorn and 8,000 and 1,500 years ago. Ancient serviceberry branches for digging. people used plants medicinally to heal Digging sticks are rarely found in prehis wounds and cure sick people. Many toric sites. These tools were highly valued modern are made from and were only left behind when they plants that prehistoric peoples used. were broken and could not be repaired. Ancient people used rope and twine Ancient people cut branches for made from plant fibers for lashing digging sticks and poles for structures equipment together, tying tipi poles, with stone knives and axes. They and as bow string. And they also used probably used stone flakes and knives plants in ceremonies of all types. to harvest plants like balsamroot Many types of plants grow across and prickly pear cactus which grow Montana. Some plants were more above the ground. important to ancient people than Prehistoric people placed roots others. of important and berries on a large, flat grinding plants, and where they could be stone, called a . They then found, was passed from generation to mashed the roots and berries with a generation. Women and girls hand-sized flat rock called a . harvested seeds, berries, and roots This produced juice and pulp. They throughout , summer, and fall. then dried the pulp into a flour and This provided important winter food stored it in skin containers. (They to supplement meat. also sometimes used a mortar and Roots, such as bitterroot (Montana's pestle to process plant foods.) They

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-2 1 dried roots and berries whole and stored them in bags. And they some times ground dried plants for use as Hour. People used this flour in stews or made it into cakes or . By mixing together mashed berries, dried meat, and fat, they made pemmican. Pemmican provided an important and nutritious food during winter when plants were not available and wild game was not plentiful. Archaeologists have found plant seeds in prehistoric sites throughout Montana. One of the best finds was in For the ancient people of western Montana, the Barton Gulch site in southwestern camas was an impor Montana. tant food source. They harvested the edible roots of the camas with a digging stick. Courtesy

Kootenai National Forest

This woman uses a

stone

to grind up roots,

berries, and nuts. Some

ancient people preferred

to use manos and

. Courtesy

Kootenai National Forest

Montana Historical Society 3-22 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3C—Vocabulary: What Technology Did Ancient People Use to Harvest and Process Plants? balsamroot

bitterroot

camas

digging sticks

mano

metate

pemmican

prickly pear cactus

stone axes

stone knives

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-23 Lesson 3C—Arch Activity: Making Pemmican

Grades: 3-8 Materials for pemmican:

Time: half-day (1 hr. to soak; 30 min. to 12 ounces of thin-strip beef jerky, 2

prepare; 2 hrs. to bake) cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

Content Area: science, social studies, and (or raisins), 2 cups of sunflower seed

math meats, 1/4 cup of soft margarine.

Who: small groups Large mixing bowl and large flat rock

that has been sterilized to serve as

grinding board (metate) and smaller,

sterilized rock to serve as a masher

(mano), 1-2 cookie sheets for drying

or baking.

Objective and Outcome of trail mix. 4. Place mixture on cookie sheets.

•Students will learn about the process Spread flat. Bake at 200 degrees for 2 by which pemmican was made and the hours. ancient technology used to create it. 5. Eat and enjoy. • Students will make a native food using sterilized grinding stones and Note: If you don't have a grinding mixing it by hand. They will then stone and a stone masher, you can sample the food they have created. chop the jerky with a knife and put the jerky, blueberries, sunflower seed

Activity meats, and margarine in a bowl and 1. Soak the jerky in 1 cup of water mix .

for 1 hour. 2. Assign students to groups of Extensions three to five. Have them wash their 3-8: hands before they begin. Groups take • Research vocabulary. turns mashing the jerky on the See: Lesson 3C—Vocabulary. grinding stone. Place ground jerky in • Research other native recipes and bowl. Once jerky is ground, begin to foods introduced by American Indians. add berries to a bit of the jerky and • Discuss with the class what these mash together on the grinding stone. contributions are. Continue this process until all the jerky • Find other American Indian and berries are mixed together. Then recipes such as those for fry bread or add sunflower seed meats. wild rice soup. Make and sample these 3. Put jerky/berry/sunflower traditional foods. mixture in bowl. Add margarine and • Put together a cookbook with mix all together thoroughly. Knead the 5-15 ancient recipes using traditional mixture. It should be the consistency foods.

Montana Historical Society 3-24 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3D—Narrative: What Pottery and containers made of Ancient Technology Assisted animal hides assisted in food in Food Preparation? preparation.

Imagine the difficulty of preparing a south of the Montana plains brought family meal without dishes and pottery technology with them. These

silverware. Think of the dangers in pottery makers may be the ancestors cooking food over a hot stove or fire of the Crow, Blackfeet, and Shoshone without kitchen pots and pans. Euro- Indians. They made pots by coiling Americans brought metal pots and strings of clay together. Other pots pans and to Montana only two were simply lump-modeled by hand- hundred years ago. Before that, ancient shaping a ball of clay. Ancient potters people created their cooking and smoothed the walls, or sides, of a pot containers from raw materials by a paddle and anvil technique, found in . where the exterior wall was paddled For thousands of years, people with a wooden paddle while using a roasted animal meat of all kinds over hand inside as an anvil. The pots were an open campfire. They also used then covered with dirt and campfire animal hides as cooking pots, boiling. ash, and the potters built a fire over the meats and vegetables in hide top of them. This heated, or fired, the containers. But if they placed a hide pots to make them hard and improve container directly over a fire, it would their durability. burn. Instead, they heated rocks in a Prehistoric potters in Montana fire pit and dropped them inside the made a variety of pottery shapes. They hide container. Water, meat, and often decorated their pots with simple vegetables, previously placed in the impressions and designs, but they did container, began to boil when the hot not paint them. Archaeologists rarely rocks were added. The boiling water find whole pots in Montana. Broken then cooked the food, creating a nour pieces of pottery, called sherds, are ishing stew or soup (once the rocks usually all that remain at sites such as were removed!). This method of Ulm Pishkun State Park near Great cooking is called stone-boiling. Falls. Pottery, like the bow and arrow, Because they were light and easy to is a relatively recent technology among carry, cooking containers made of Montana's ancient people. Some of the animal hide were very useful for oldest pot sherds found in Montana ancient people who traveled many come from the Myers-Hindman site in miles during the year. southwestern Montana. These remains A few prehistoric Indian groups in are dated to 740 years ago. The Montana also made pottery out of Montana Historical Society clay. These people used pottery for and many local county museums and for cooking. exhibit pottery made by prehistoric Archaeologists believe that ancient Montana Indians. people from areas east, north, and Vessels made from carved steatite

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-25 are also found in Montana. Steatite is , while seated on hides and

"soapstone" (talc) found in certain plant fiber mats. They had no tables or

locations in southwestern Montana. chairs. Except for pottery, archaeolo Steatite vessels are the same size and gists rarely find "kitchen ." shape as tired clay pots and are Because so few artifacts relating to believed to have been used for similar food survive, archaeologists must infer purposes. Ancient people also made what ancient Indian meals were like basket containers from coiled or from the records written by and about woven pieces of plant materials. These historic Indians. Prehistoric people were used as bowls and for seed probably ate their food with their parching trays and are similar to fingers or with horn or wooden uten those found in the Great Basin sils and bowls. Their principal fare (Idaho, Utah, Nevada) region. The was roasted or boiled meat in the Kootenai and Salish Indians—and good times. Baked or boiled roots, probably other prehistoric groups in fresh greens such as wild onions, western Montana—made containers of berries, and other fruit balanced many cedar bark, which they used for storing meals. In lean times, they consumed a

food and other items. gruel of root flour mixed with avail When excavating sites in able game. For many groups, late Montana, archaeologists find the winter through early spring was the remains of cooking and some "starving time." Then they had to rely times the bones and charred plant on stored foods until spring brought scraps of ancient meals. Ancient new plants and game was once again people ate their meals around a fire plentiful.

Cooking in hide containers could not be done directly f) <^[ over a fire. Instead, the cooking was done "inside out" by placing rocks heated in the fire into the hide container filled with water, meat, and vegeta d amid criss-cross \\rt bles. The water then boiled, making a flavorful stew or soup. Courtesy

Kootenai National Forest.

Montana Historical Society 3-26 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3D—Vocabulary: What Ancient Technology Assisted in Food Preparation?

coiling

Great Basin

hide containers

lump-modeled

paddle and anvil technique

parching tray

pottery

sherds

steatite

stone-boiling

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-27 Lesson 3D—Arch Activity: Ancient Pottery

Grades: 3-8 Materials:

Time: 60 minutes+ clay, moist tubs, small

Content Area: science, history, and art containers for water and slip, plastic

Who: whole class and individual bags, popsicle sticks, sandpaper,

wrapped "paddle," plastic utensils,

comb, heavy cardboard pieces or

container lids to make pots on,

sponges for cleaning up.

Optional:

acrylic gesso for sealing finished pot.

Objective and Outcome form for the pot. Place the base on a •Students will learn the materials and surface you can move, such as heavy process of a form of prehistoric tech cardboard, a plastic container lid, etc.

nology. Using a fork or comb, scratch a series •Students will make coiled pots similar of marks onto the base and put on a to those found in archaeological sites little very moist clay. This will help the

in Montana. first coil to stick to the base. 5. Gradually add coils to create

Activity height. The students may smooth the 1. Inform students they will be interior surface with their fingers or a making pottery by hand, an ancient paddle, or they can leave evidence of form of technology. the coils to show the method of 2. Cover desk areas with plastic. . Allow some time for one Make sure students have access to coil to set or dry partially before water. Begin by giving each student a placing another coil on top, or the pot ball of clay (about the size of a tennis will collapse. ball). 6. Once the pot is built, it is up to 3. Have students break clay into the student how he or she wants to five smaller balls. Then have them treat the pot's outside surface. It can be gently mold the clay into round strips smoothed, carved, or incised using or coils. Have them start with both utensils. When the pot is about as hard hands together—and then gradually as leather, it can be smoothed with a move their hands apart. Roll clay on a pebble, marble, or fingernail. It can coarse cloth or plywood to prevent it also be incised with shallow lines or from sticking. Be sure to make the otherwise decorated. When the pot is coils long enough so that they don't bone dry, the student can smooth it have too many to piece together. with sandpaper. 4. After making four coils, take the 7. Once the pot is bone dry, it can fifth ball of clay and make it into a flat be covered with acrylic gesso to seal patty. This becomes the base or plat the surface. If you have a kiln avail-

Montana Historical Society 3-28 Ancient Teachings able, you may also fire it. Do not apply acrylic gesso if you fire the pot.

Extensions

3-5:

• Research Vocabulary.

See.- Lesson 3D—Vocabulary.

3-8:

• Separate students into groups of four, and give them fragments from four pottery vessels. Ask them if they can fit them together. Give them 15 minutes to put the pots together. Ask them the shape of the vessel based on the fragments they could put together. Have them draw what they suspect is the shape of the entire vessel.

6-8: • Challenge students to read about ancient pottery and where and how long ago it was first used in parts of the world. Ask them to find out when the first pottery was made. • Challenge students to research dating methods for pottery.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-29 Lesson 3E—Narrative: How Ancient people used technology to Was Ancient Art Created? create art to express themselves.

When you create a work of a modern-day billboard printed with art, the crayons, paint, and messages for all to see. Others think

other materials you use is more symbolic, expressing represent the technology of today. spiritual and supernatural beliefs of Prehistoric people used ancient tech ancient people. In North America, rock nology to create art- In Montana, and art is not a true writing . It does across North America and the world, not contain words and cannot be read ancient people painted and carved like Egyptian hieroglyphics. images on rock surfaces. Archaeologists study rock art figures, Archaeologists call these ancient and sometimes patterns emerge. Often images rock art. The ancient paint a particular rock art style will appear ings on rock are known as only in a certain region, in central pictographs. The images that ancient Montana, the rock art images found people carved into rock are called along the Smith River are believed to . Over 680 rock art sites be related to religious activities. Many have been recorded in Montana. Indian tribes have oral traditions about Interpreting rock art is challenging prehistoric rock art and its spiritual and sometimes controversial. Some meaning. people believe that rock art was a form Rock art in Montana includes of storytelling and , like many different kinds of designs. Some

Handprints are a

common pictograph

motif in central and

western Montana rock

art. Sometimes they

were drawn, and other

times, they represent

actual hands dipped in

red ocher paint. These

handprints at the Black

Canyon site are actual handprints and show

left and right hands,

some in pairs. Mavis

and John Greer, photog

raphers.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-31 depicts humans engaged in the act of

hunting with bows and , spears,

or atlatls. But in some areas like

central Montana, these scenes are absent. Instead, abstract drawings of humans appear. Some of these figures have horns and headdresses and

others are shown without arms, hands, or legs. These are believed to be the drawings of a shaman. Shamans were ancient religious leaders who gained power through painting or carving special images. In

fact, some of the images believed to be

There are two basic of these designs depict animals and painted by shamans were placed on kinds of rock art: people, while others are abstract. cracks in the rock. The position of pictographs (painted Images of animals—bears, snakes, these images may represent the images) and petro- birds, lizards, turtles, sheep, otter, passage of the shaman from or into glyphs (carved images).

This of deer and elk—appear on many rock another spirit world. warriors on horseback art panels. Paintings of handprints, Based on scientific dating, the is in the biographical animal tracks, and perhaps clan oldest rock art in Montana is two style that became symbols (either animal or geometric) thousand years old. In contrast, early common in the

Protohistoric Period. may have served to identify a prehis rock art in Europe—which displays Edrie Vinson, photogra toric group and possibly its territory. extinct animals such as mammoth and pher Courtesy Montana Throughout Montana and much of the bison—is thirty thousand years old. Historical Society. world, ancient rock art typically The most recent Montana rock art

At some rock art sites, many different designs may occur and overlap each other This suggests that they were made at different times.

Here, at the Rock Creek

Pictograph Site, you can see paintings of shields, handprints, and human stick figures. What else do you see'3 Mavis and

John Greer, photogra phers.

3-32 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society shows images of horses and guns and appears to record special historical events. This biographical style of rock art became common between

1750 and 1900. During this time, the lives of Native Americans were changing rapidly due to the introduc tion of horses, guns, and other new items by Euro-American explorers and traders. Montana's Indians drew many scenes showing warfare, horse stealing, counting coup, and dancing, as well as hunting, during this time of major cultural change. antler tines. Sometimes evidence of Some rock art can be Ancient people used liquid paints pecking with a rock, like a hammer- dated by the type of images portrayed. This and solid crayons to create their stone, is seen. Most petroglyphs are depiction of a person pictographs. They made crayons from found on , which is softer on horseback carrying a raw . Pigment in Montana was and smoother than other kinds of rock. gun tells us that it was derived mostly from or from Rock art sites that can be viewed made sometime after A.D. 1700, when these locally obtained , or hardened by the public include those found at items—the horse and red clay earth. To make paint, ancient Missouri Headwaters State Park near the gun—were first artists ground these and other minerals Three Forks, at Pictograph Cave State acquired by Montana's into a powder. Then they mixed the Park southeast of Billings, and at native people. Courtesy Montana Historical powder with animal fat until it was very Pompey's Pillar along the Yellowstone Society- sticky. Besides red and black, Montana River. Remember, rock art is very rock paintings sometimes include fragile and vulnerable to touching and yellow, brown, and green colors. scratching. Never trace the rock art Though many people think pictographs with or crayons, even if you were painted with brushes of animal want to get a better picture of it with hair, they were mostly painted using your . Many rock art sites are fingers and hands. sacred to modern-day Indians. Look Ancient artists carved the lines of and enjoy, but do not touch these petroglyphs with pointed stone tools or ancient and fragile images.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-33 Lesson 3E—Vocabulary: How Was Ancient Art Created? biographical style

clan symbol

counting coup ^_^

hematite

hieroglyphics

petroglyphs

pictographs

pigment

rock art

shaman

supernatural

symbolic

territory

3-34 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3E—Arch Activity: Ancient Artists

Grades: 3-8 Materials:

Time: 45 minutes paper (or rocks)

Content Area: science, communication, pencils

writing, and arts markers

Who: whole class and small groups rock art images

Arch Journal

Objective and Outcome color markers to create a single or •Students will learn about prehis simple set of symbols that tell a story toric symbols. of some event that happened to them. • Students will create their own Have students imagine that this event rock art panel and interpret others' happened to them 2,000 years ago. As panels. an alternative, have them a •Students will gain an under symbol that represents themselves or standing of the need to protect rock art some other object. Ask the students to for the . use symbols as if they were living

•Students will write a 2,000 years ago. commercial for protection of rock art. 3. Give students 10 minutes to make their "pictograph." When they Activity are finished, have them trade with a 1. Discuss with students the partner and try to "read" each other's meaning of the words pictograph, stories or interpret their partner's petroglyph, and rock art (see narra symbol. tive). Explain that they will create a 4. As a class, discuss what clues pictograph during this activity. people used to decipher the symbols. Rock an at Red Bluff 2. Give each student a piece of 5. Project the rock art images from Cave, Meagher County, paper. Have them use pencils and the Red Bluff Cave on the Smith River Montana.

H

H

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-35 on a transparency. Tell students that Extensions

archaeologists are not sure what these 3-5: images mean, but that they think the • Research vocabulary. symbols labeled with an "H" represent See- Lesson 3E—Vocabulary humans. Ask students, after they have • Complete this activity using viewed the symbols, to write answers finger paint or natural materials the to the following questions: students bring from home instead of ~ What do you think the symbols pencils and markers.

mean? ~ Why did people create them? 6-8: - Is there a message in the • Challenge students to read an

symbols? What is it7 article about rock art.

~ What can archaeologists learn • Challenge students to learn about

from studying these images? how rock art can be dated. - What information would be lost if they were destroyed? 6. With their partners, have students write a 40-second radio commercial to promote the protection of rock art. Then have each team present its commercial to the class.

Montana Historical Society 3-36 Ancient Teachings Lesson 3F—Narrative: How Several scientific methods of analysis Do Archaeologists Analyze and dating assist archaeologists in and Date Ancient Technology? their study of ancient technology.

Archaeologists study artifacts to found, archaeologists may be able to learn how they were made determine the type of tool knapped at and used. Knowing the age of a site even if they don't find the arti an artifact is also of extreme impor fact itself! tance. When archaeologists know Archaeologists also gather infor when different artifacts were created, mation through microscopic study of they can compile a chronology of stone tools and implements. The past events. A chronology is a edges of scrapers and butchering tools

sequence, or timeline, showing sometimes show wear patterns and changes over time in lifeways, blood residue from butchered including changes in tool technology, animals. These clues identify what subsistence strategies, dwellings, foods were consumed at the site. Very clothing, and expression through art. much like detective work, this is an The past cannot be reconstructed exciting area of archaeological without a sequential knowledge of research. these events. The ages of artifacts made of bone, Archaeologists often study the charcoal, antler, or wood can be deter shape and size of stone artifacts. In mined by radiocarbon dating Montana, stone size Pictographs can also be radiocarbon and style changed over time. Since dated if prehistoric artists used organic some types of points and other tools materials to bind the paint. In 1949, were only made at certain times, these Willard Libby discovered radiocarbon tools help archaeologists determine dating. The method revolutionized how old a site is. Archaeologists also archaeology because it told archaeolo study the chemical composition, or gists how old—in years before the make-up, of stone material. Some present—their sites were. Dr. Libby stone, like obsidian, can be traced to won the Nobel Prize for this . its source by studying its chemical The basic principle behind radio composition. Information about carbon dating is simple. All organic prehistoric travel and trade can be material contains some minute obtained in this way. Archaeologists radioactive elements that break also research stone quarrying and tool down and release at a constant manufacture methods. By studying the rate, or half-life. In radiocarbon tool and the stone waste Hakes, or dating, measure the amount unusable pieces produced when of release, or decay, as elements making the tool, archaeologists can change from radioactive carbon-14 reconstruct specific stone tool to non-radioactive, or stable, nitrogen- manufacture techniques. By studying 14. In an organic object like a tree or the different kinds of waste flakes the skeleton of an animal, the ratio of

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-37 radioactive elements stays the same used as food.

until the living material dies and no For Montana archaeological sites,

new elements are added. Scientists another useful dating method is compare the amount of both elements obsidian hydration dating remaining in archaeological bones or Geologists Irving Friedman and Robert charcoal from a campfire to determine Smith discovered this method of how much radioactive decay has dating in 1948. Obsidian artifacts occurred and thus the number of absorb water, or hydrate, at a specific years that have passed since the death rate. Freshly knapped obsidian begins of the living object. Radiocarbon to absorb water on its newly exposed dating is accurate in determining the surfaces. Water penetrates deeper into age of organic artifacts as old as forty the surface over time. By measuring thousand years! Many hundreds of the thickness of the hydration rind, radiocarbon dates have been obtained archaeologists can estimate the rela

from archaeological sites across tive age of two artifacts. The obsidian Montana. They range from almost artifact with the thicker hydration twelve thousand to one hundred years is older. If a hydration rate for the area ago. In radiocarbon dating, "B.P." is has been established, the artifact can sometimes used to indicate how old also be given a precise date. One something is "Before the Present." problem with this method is that rates Another method of dating wood of hydration are difficult to determine artifacts is dendrochronology, or and are not uniform from one location tree ring dating. This method relies to another. on the pattern of annual, or yearly, Archaeologists use other methods growth in tree rings. A tree cut at a to date certain kinds of artifacts. The known date is compared with age of bones can be determined by progressively older tree rings. This amino acid dating. This process process establishes a "tree growth" measures the amount of decay of chronology over many centuries. The protein molecules within bone. Rock tree rings in wood found in an art can be dated by superimposi- archaeological site can be compared tioning and by figure content cross to this chronology. By matching the dating. Superimpositioning assumes sequence of rings and counting back that if one design is painted on top of in time, the age of the wood can be another, the underlying design was determined along with the age of the painted first and is oldest, just like the site. But dendrochronolgy is limited law of stratigraphy. Figure content to certain areas where the proper cross dating compares rock art tree species are available and tree designs within a given area, and those segments have been preserved. For that are the same or similar are these reasons, tree ring dating is not assumed to be made during the same widely used in Montana. One excep period of time. This same principle is tion is using tree rings to date used to say that two projectile points cambium-peeled "scarred" trees in that look alike are probably similar in western Montana; the cambium was age. Finally, pottery and even burnt

Montana Historical Society 3-38 Ancient Teachings stone can be dated by thermolumi- ■ nescence. This method measures the light energy a previously baked artifact gives off when it is heated again to a very high temperature. Older objects eive off more light enerey. These are only a few of the specialized techniques used by archaeologists to study prehistoric sites and artifacts. Archaeologists also depend on methods and from many different scientific fields. Geologists, botanists, zoologists, geographers and many other special ists make up an archaeological research team. Every year, these scientists develop new technologies that help archaeologists. Without the help of these people, and many sophisticated techniques, we would know much less about Montana's ancient past.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-39 Lesson 3F—Vocabulary: How Do Archaeologists Analyze Information about Technology?

amino acid dating

archaeological research team

blood residue

botanists

carbon-14

chemical composition

chronology

dendrochronology

figure content cross dating

geographers

geologists

half-life

hydration rind

microscopic

obsidian hydration dating

radioactive elements

3-40 Ancient Teachings Montana Historical Society Lesson 3F—Vocabulary: How Do Archaeologists Analyze Information about Technology? (continued)

radiocarbon dating

stone tool manufacture

superimpositioning

thermoluminescence

zoologists

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-41 Lesson 3F—Arch Activity: Determining the Age of Artifacts

Grades: 6-8 Materials:

Time: 30 minutes calculator

Content Area: science and math paper and pencils

Who: individual and whole class Arch Journal

Objective and Outcome Site 1: •Students will learn how archaeolo * small obsidian arrow point with a gists use obsidian artifacts to date hydration rind of 1.6

sites. * obsidian knife with hydration rind • Students will compute the age of Of 1.9 obsidian artifacts based on the hydra- * obsidian scraper with a hydration tion formula and the thickness (in rind of 1.95 microns) of the hydration rinds devel oped on these artifacts. Site 2: * obsidian arrow point with a

Activity hydration rind of 1.5 1. Explain that the following * obsidian Hake with a hydration hydration formula has been deter rind of 1.6

mined for the Government * obsidian knife with a hydration Mountain-Sitgreaves obsidian flow in rind of 4.6 the American Southwest, where Y is * obsidian spear point with a the computed date of an obsidian arti hydration rind of 8.3 fact based on x, its hydration rind in microns. 3. Discuss with the whole class the Hydration Rate Formula differences between the two sites Y = 43.58+ 158.16(X2 - x) based on the age of the artifacts found there. 2. Using the formula, have each 4. What could those differences student compute the age of the arti mean? Why might people return to Site facts listed below from two archaeo 2 over many thousands of years? logical sites (Site 1 and Site 2). Example: Extensions If an artifact has a hydration rind 6-8: of 1.8 microns, then: * Research vocabulary. Y = 43.58 + 158.16 (1.8 squared -1.8) See.- Lesson 3F—Vocabulary Y = 43.58 + 158.16(3.24 - 1.8) * Give students the age of four Y = 43.58+ 158.16(1.44) Government Mountain-Sitgreaves

Y = 43.58+ 227.75 obsidian artifacts that are 213; 516; Y = 271 years B.P. (before present) 1,244; and 3,648 years old. Challenge The artifact is 271 years old. them to compute the thickness of the

Montana Historical Society 3-42 Ancient Teachings hydration rind for each artifact using the hydration rate formula.

• Challenge students to research other dating methods in archaeology that rely on mathematical formulas. Have them list and describe these other formulas in their Arch Journals.

Answers Site I: The arrow point is 195 years old. The knife is 314 years old. The scraper is 337 years old.

Site 2: The arrow point is 162 years old. The flake is 195 years old. The knife is 2,663 years old. The spear point is 9,626 years old.

Extension Exercise: The hydration rinds are: 1.65 microns 2.3 microns 5.3 microns 3.3 microns

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-43 Lesson 3G~—Narrative: Who Ann M. Johnson is an archaeolo Is an Archaeologist Who gist who studies ancient tech nology. Studies Ancient Technology?

Dr. Ann M. Johnson is an the qualities that distinguish archaeologist who studies and time periods. Someone who ancient technology—the analyzes pottery—a analyst—

manufacture and use of material also needs to keep good records and objects needed in daily life by people of notes on the collections she has the past. Ann's specialty is the study of viewed. Similarities and differences in prehistoric pottery, or , of the pottery translate into similarities and Northern Plains. When Ann was in differences in cultures. Records and graduate school, Montana prehistoric notes are then used to compare to ceramics was an area no other student collections viewed at a later time. was studying, and she found the Ann was interested in archaeology opportunity to make a contribution in at a young age and did her first field- the study of prehistoric ceramics work when she was eleven. She joined attractive. The first Northern Plains a field crew testing prehistoric sites prehistoric pottery found by archaeolo near Havre, Montana. Ann attended gists dates from about A.D. 400. elementary and secondary schools in Ann directs her research at a range Kalispell, Montana. Her post-secondary of cultures, from the group of prehis education was at the of toric people just before pottery Montana and the University of appeared, 1000 B.C., to the people at Missouri. While in graduate school, she the beginning of the historic period. published her first archaeological She also studies historic Native article and worked on archaeological American sites so that she can more inventory and testing crews. fully interpret the past. Ann spent a couple years working When Ann studies pottery, she is with the Colorado State Archaeologist's first interested in the technology of a Office and the Bureau of Land piece. She seeks clues about how it Management. She joined the National was made, where the clay was Park Service in 1980, and she has been obtained, and how the pot was deco the archaeologist for Yellowstone rated. Then she focuses on the group National Park since 1995. She says that of prehistoric people who made this the easiest part of her job is getting up particular type of pottery. Pottery tends and going to work, because she loves to be culturally characteristic, that is, where she works and what she does! pots have qualities that help identify Ann says the most difficult part of her different prehistoric groups. job is finding time to write articles Ann states that the best way to presenting the information she has study pottery is to examine it in learned from her investigations. Her person, and to look at a great deal of it. other work, with deadlines to meet, Pictures and words do not fully convey often takes priority over her writing.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-45 As she studies the past, Ann is never been vandalized, making it a most intrigued by the relationships valuable archaeological site. It also between the groups of people who contains all the activities associated inhabited the plains. There were two with the , allowing contrasting prehistoric lifestyles. One archaeologists to interpret the entire group were migratory, having no picture of how early people lived. The permanent home. They moved Wahkpa Chu'gn site is open to the seasonally, gathering plant foods and public to visit. hunting animals, primarily bison. The Another of Ann's favorite sites is other group were villagers, who had Nollmeyer, a village near Sidney, permanent homes. They cultivated Montana. People at Nollmeyer moved

gardens with corn, beans, squash, and from northern South Dakota to eastern sunflowers, and they supplemented Montana and built earth homes. They their agricultural products with left behind many tools, pottery, and summer hunts. These summer hunts animal bones from their meals. These would bring villagers west from the people also built a ditch Dakotas to the eastern Montana around their village. It must have been plains, where the non-village groups because their migratory neighbors lived. When evidence of contact were not friendly! between the two groups exists, their Ann has worked at sites in North encounters were sometimes peaceful, and South Dakota, Montana, Colorado, and sometimes they were not. Wyoming, and Missouri. An extensive Ann notes that the villagers made project she worked on was in the large numbers of excellent ceramics, mountain foothills outside of Denver, while the non-village groups only Colorado. During this project, Ann and occasionally made a few pots. her co-workers documented seven Working for the National Park Service thousand years of with a has given her the opportunity to study series of tests. Ann has two sites in Yellowstone National also worked at sites in Saskatchewan, Park known to contain prehistoric Canada, and Colombia, South America. ceramics. These ceramics are identi Ann would most like to find a fied as Intermountain ware and are Montana kiln site, a location where found in Montana, Wyoming, and prehistoric pottery was fired to change Idaho. Both Yellowstone ceramic sites it from dried clay to ceramics. If such a are believed to represent prehistoric site were carefully excavated, much Shoshone Indians, a non-village could be learned about how non-

people. village people made pottery. She would One of Ann's favorite Montana study similarities and differences to the sites is Wahkpa Chu'gn, near Havre, way village people made their pottery. where she did her first fieldwork. It is a Ann says that thousands of sites large buffalo jump with processing are destroyed by development, erosion, areas and camp areas. Wahkpa Chu'gn and vandalism each day. Thus, the was used from about A.D. 400 to 1600 total number of sites is decreasing. She by a series of different peoples. It has believes that, in the future, archaeolo-

Montana Historical Society 3-46 Ancient Teachings gists will investigate more sites Prehistoric pottery is through the use and reanalysis of not an artifact commonly found in museum collections. Montana. When it does Ann states that archaeologists appear, it often reflects should know a little about many long-distance travel or subjects. If you are interested in the trade between ancient field of archaeology, it is helpful to groups. After studying this piece of pottery have knowledge of botany and animal from Meagher County— anatomy to identify plants and bones. a rim sherd with a and geology assist in handle—Ann Johnson concluded that it is understanding the location of sites and most like pottery from stones used as tools. Math, statistics, the Middle Missouri , ecology, history, , earth area of South Dakota science, and are essential made between A.D. courses. It is important to be able to 1450 and A.D. 1700. read and write well. skills are valuable. Students should also learn about the of how to formulate and test hypotheses. Since 1995, Ann Ann's message—as you learn more Johnson has been the archaeologist for about archaeology—is: "Please Yellowstone National remember that knowing where arti Park. Ann began her facts come from, the site and the loca career with the tion within the site, is very important National Park Service in to the proper interpretation of those 1980. artifacts." When Ann is not studying pottery, she enjoys gardening and . Her family includes two sisters, a lawyer and a medical doctor. Students interested in archaeology may contact

Ann at:

Ann M. Johnson Yellowstone National Park P.O. Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming 82190 e-mail: [email protected]

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-47 Lesson 3H—Narrative: Who Troy Helmick is an archaeologist Is an Archaeologist Who who studies ancient technology. Studies Ancient Technology?

Troy Helmick is an archaeologist authored an article on atlatl weights who studies ancient tech found in Montana. These are stone nology—the manufacture and artifacts and are the most commonly use of material objects needed in daily recovered pieces of an atlatl system life by people of the past. Troy grew besides the projectile point tips. up in central West Virginia, an area Archaeologists have many ideas rich in historic and prehistoric sites. about the weight's function. They test His interest in archaeology developed their theories by replicating the

as he listened to his uncle tell Civil weapon and using it. No clear role of War stories and of finding "arrow the weight has yet been determined. heads" in cornfields. His fascination What archaeologists do know is that continued when he moved to ancient atlatl hunters could effectively Montana as a young adult. Troy then hit a target. had the opportunity to discover Archaeological interest in atlatls Montana's many archaeological sites has led to competitions, both for and features. research and fun. Troy participates in Troy was curious to know more these atlatl competitions. He reports about ancient stone tools and that the current world record distance weapons. He wanted to contribute for an atlatl-thrown dart is 258.6

correct information about iithics— meters! objects made of stone by ancient Troy enjoys studying prehistoric people. He began flintknapping to archaeology because there are so understand the techniques and tech many unanswered questions. It is very nology involved in creating those easy for him to stay interested in his tools and weapons. He also studied search for answers. He says that the the atlatl, a weapon used more than most difficult part of his work in nine thousand years ago in North archaeology is finding time to do America, The atlatl is composed of a everything he would like to accom throwing board used to launch a long plish. dart tipped with a projectile point. The Troy's favorite location is Canyon atlatl was used until the bow and Ferry Lake, near Helena. He has spent arrow replaced it as the preferred more than thirty years studying sites hunting weapon, about two thousand along the lakebed. More than four years ago. thousand artifacts from these sites Troy is an amateur archaeologist, have been catalogued. They represent working in the field out of personal ten thousand years of habitation! He interest rather than as a profession. feels that the importance of these He has made some important contri finds is yet to be recognized and butions with his experience. He has determined.

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-49 Troy Helmick draws

scientific illustrations of

artifacts for archaeolo

gists. These detailed

drawings help to show

how an artifact was made. Here are three of

Troy's drawings: a

stone knife, an end-

scraper, and a projectile

point. Courtesy Montana

Historica

Troy has worked on many archae Lindsay Mammoth, Indian Creek, ological projects throughout Montana. McHaffie, Dry Creek, KXGN, Bear Paw He has done research for the Montana Springs, Merrel, and Mann Gulch. Historical Society Preservation Office, Troy has carried out a variety of Helena, and worked on the Flying D archaeological tasks working at those Ranch , Madison County. He locations. He has located, identified, has surveyed sites and worked as an marked, and recorded artifacts, archaeological aide for Dr. Leslie B. features, and sites. He has drafted Davis of the Museum of the Rockies, cross-section and profile , as Bozeman, and for Aaberg Cultural well as vicinity and location maps. Research Consulting Service. The Other work he has performed includes locations he has worked include topographic surveys, horizontal and Sheep Rock Springs, Pass, vertical grid layouts, sorting screened Barton Gulch, Bowman Springs, matrix to recover cultural materials,

Montana Historical Society 3-50 Ancient Teachings and writing reports. In addition, he Troy Helmick is a has drawn ink illustrations of stone nationally recognized and bone artifacts to include in site marksman in the use of the atlatl weapon reports. His illustrations have system. Here he appeared in numerous archaeology demonstrates the pieces reports. of the atlatl to Ted When Troy is not involved in Turner on the Flying D Ranch outside archaeological activities, he spends Bozeman, Montana. time with his family. Troy and his Mark Bauntkr, photog wife, Shirley, live in Townsend, rapher Courtesy Montana. Their six children are Montana Historical Society. Rhonda in West Virginia, Leslie Ann of Billings, Coleene living in Virginia, Charmon in nearby Helena, Brent in Naples, Italy, and Dean in California. Troy and Shirley have ten grandchil dren! Hunting, fishing, photography, Lewis and Clark—and of course atlatl competitions and flintnapping—are among Troy's hobbies. Students interested in archaeology may contact Troy at:

Troy Helmick

P.O. Box 303 Townsend, Montana 59644 406-266-3398

Montana Historical Society Ancient Teachings 3-51