Prehistoric Archaeology and Public Interpretation

THe cDiTors pace PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY it is not enough and it does not take advantage of the distinctive nature of archaeological data. AND PUBLIC INTERPRETATION: Both places and objects are important to prehistoric archaeology. The most meaningful and understand A NEW APPROACH able interpretation of archaeology occurs when the excavated objects can be seen, when the sites from which they came can be visited, and when the objects INTEREST IN the American Indian, his diversified and sites are interpreted in place and in the context ways of life, his contributions to a growing America, of the ecological setting in which the people lived. By and his role in contemporary society, continues to ac establishing regional visual interpretation centers, celerate. The prehistoric archaeology of the American a unique and exciting dimension of archaeological in Indian has a significant role to play in satisfying this terpretation can be provided for the public. need for knowledge of a long, successful culture his Minnesota has a start on such a program, for an tory. Like other facets of American Indian life and interpretation center focusing on prehistoric archaeol history, interest in his prehistoric past grows rapidly. ogy is being developed at Big Stone Lake State Park Any archaeological crev^' working in the field during northwest of Ortonville. Another center is in the the summer months is immediately aware of this pub planning stage for Mille Lacs-Kathio State Park, and lic interest, for visitors are constant onlookers. Ar important archaeological sites such as the Cottonwood chaeologists in the laboratory are also aware of this be petroglyphs near Jeffers, the Grand Mound on the cause letters and verbal requests for information form northem border, the Stumne Mounds near Pine City, a constant stream of inquiry. Primary and secondary and the Morrison Mounds at the outlet of Otter Tail schools throughout the state are steadily enriching Lake in west-central Minnesota have been acquired their curriculum coverage of the American Indian, by the Minnesota Historical Society. both past and present, and Indian peoples themselves To capitalize on the investment already made and have a new awareness of the significance of their own to provide a framework for future development, I cultural heritage. American Indian archaeology in suggest the establishment of six or seven regional Minnesota has a distinctive character and it has an im interpretation centers devoted to prehistoric archaeol portant place in this enlarging public awareness. ogy. These centers should be located at significant sites The archaeologist doing the research and the educa which represent the major archaeological regions of tional-cultural institutions supporting him have an the entire state and they should offer an interpretation obfigation to provide information not only to scholars of both the particular site and the larger regional pre but to the public. To better serve this public need, historic sequence. Because Minnesota exhibits such publications of research results are being produced in contrasting ecological areas, and because prehistoric increasing quantity through the Minnesota Historical peoples and their cultures had quite different adapta- Society's new series on prehistoric archaeology, through rions to varied ecological settings, the interpretations the journal called the Minnesota Archaeologist, and should be placed within the framework of each eco through a variety of other local publication outlets. logical setting as it changed through time. While publication is vital and provides the necessary Where these six or seven centers should be located first step in disseminating archaeological information. is not difficult to determine. The Grand Mound on the Winter 1970 153 Rainy River west of International Falls is a logical through prehistoric times into the era of early European place for the interpretation of not only this significant settlement of the region. Data from the interpretation site but the region of the Canadian Shield and the of the surface geology of this region at the outlet of Border Lakes country. The largest remaining prehis Glacial Lake Agassiz is used with paleoeeological data toric burial mound in the Upper Mississippi region, on changing climatic-vegetation pattems to provide the Grand Mound belongs to the Woodland tradition the ecological context. Central to the exhibits, which (roughly dated from 1000 B.C. to 1000 A.D.), one of follow a chronological sequence, is a reconstruction of four major cultural traditions of prehistoric Minnesota. a segment of one of the distinctive archaeological sites More specifically, it was part of a local Woodland cul on Big Stone Lake. The center is being built especially ture called Laurel which flourished sometime between for summer park visitors, but it can easily be used by 500 B.C. and 1000 A.D. and demonstrated a northern school groups and others during the warmer months of forest adaptation related to cultures found in Ontario the school year. and Manitoba. The development of plans for these interpretation The Big Stone Lake State Park center is ideally centers demands a co-operative program involving ar suited to interpret the prehistory of the west-central chaeologists, paleoecologists, museum experts, and prairie. Sites there belong to the latest prehistoric recreational-planning speciafists. Both the Minnesota culture tradition — the Mississippian (1000 A.D. to Historical Society and the Division of Parks and Rec 1700 A.D. ) — and were based on agriculture. Mille reation need to be directly involved, for they have Lacs-Kathio State Park, with its rich archaeological some of the expertise needed to take part in the sites of not only the late Woodland and Mississippian operation of the centers. The archaeological laboratory cultural traditions but also the earlier "old copper" of the University of Minnesota has most of the ar Eastern Archaic (5000 B.C. to 1000 B.C), is centered chaeological collections and data to be drawn upon in in the distinctive east-central Minnesota region. the interpretation and thus should also be directly in Perhaps the Jeffers petroglyph site in Cottonwood volved. Ecological background might come from the County should be the location of a center interpreting speciafists of the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural the southwestern quarter of the state and the Upper History at the university who have had a long associa Minnesota River Valley. Certainly a site in the Mis tion with nature intei-pretation within Minnesota's sissippi River Valley of southeastern Minnesota is a state parks. To plan and co-ordinate a program such as necessity, and a center in the north-central wfid rice that envisioned here, co-operation is essential and I region between Grand Rapids and Bemidji is also would hope that the initiative to form such a group needed. Possibly the site at White Oak Point below will be forthcoming. Deer River would be a desirable locarion. I should o Finally, I should also note that the estabfishment of also like to see a center in the Red River Valley. regional interpretation centers does not obviate the Though a portion of the lower valley can be inter need for smaller outdoor interpretarion units at the preted in the Rig Stone Lake center, the central and state historic sites and in state parks, nor do these northern valley has a disrincrive prehistoric sequence centers diminish the need for a state-wide museum quite different from that of west-central Minnesota. interpretarion of the enrire Minnesota prehistoric se The tentative interpretarion plan devised for Big quence located in the metropolitan area. These sup Stone Lake State Park offers an example of what plementary developments along with the regional might be done at these regional centers. It draws upon centers would give Minnesota an unmatched posirion excavated materials from the University of Minnesota in the interpretation of American Indian culture collections, and the interpretarion is built upon the history. concept of changing patterns of land utilization ELDEN JOHNSON, State Archaeologist 154 Minnesota History Copyright of Minnesota History is the property of the Minnesota Historical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. Users may print, download, or email articles, however, for individual use. To request permission for educational or commercial use, contact us. www.mnhs.org/mnhistory .

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