Cross Creek Flows in Front of the Rockshelter

Cross Creek flows in 36 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2013 front of the Rockshelter. Copyright 2008 Ed Massery. “What do you feel was the most significant artifact to be excavated during the Meadowcroft dig?” asked a participant at one of Dr. James Adovasio’s recent “Insider’s Tours” of the Rockshelter archaeological site. As principal investigator since the excavation began in 1973, Adovasio was in a good position to comment. Although his teams had discovered more than 20,000 artifacts, including the Miller lanceolate spear point and the Mungai stone knife, Adovasio declined to name a specific artifact. Instead, he used the opportunity to explain that the most significant thing to emerge from the sandy soils of the Rockshelter was not an object, but the discovery that every major cultural group of people to inhabit the region over the past 16,000 years had used the Rockshelter as a place to camp and carry out the activities of their daily lives. In essence, the Meadowcroft Rockshelter is a microcosm of the much larger story of the peopling of Western Pennsylvania.1 By John Boback, Ph.D. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2013 37 Unfortunately, most American history only about 20 centuries ago. For that matter, school texts and college survey courses even the earliest Egyptian pyramid dates to a relegate American Indians to an introductory relatively recent 46 centuries ago. Meadowcroft, background chapter that all too quickly on the other hand, served as a campsite to moves on to Christopher Columbus, the Age Paleoindian hunter-gatherers 160 centuries in of Discovery, and European colonization. the past. Over the course of those 160 centuries, When American Indians do make an almost 800 generations of people have lived and appearance in later chapters, it is typically died in Western Pennsylvania. within the context of frontier warfare. The Despite the many centuries that separate purpose of this article is to emphasize that modern Pennsylvanians from the first Indians have inhabited Western Pennsylvania Pennsylvanians, we are all united in a very for a very long time and that their cultures fundamental way. Regardless of when we have evolved considerably since their first may have lived, everyone has experienced the arrival over 16,000 years ago. daily challenges of providing for the needs of Admittedly, long spans of time can their families and communities. What will sometimes be difficult to mentally grasp. our children wear for clothing? How will It might help to think of 16,000 years as we put a roof over our heads? What’s for being equal to 160 centuries. For the sake of dinner? Basic questions such as these have perspective, consider that the United States been the topics of conversations in Western gained its independence barely two centuries Pennsylvania for over 16,000 years. But ago. Christopher Columbus reached the where the questions have remained the same, Americas only about five centuries ago. The the ways that we answer them has evolved in ancient Roman Empire rose to prominence some very profound ways. OPPOSITE PAGE: The Rockshelter. Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village. Map of possible paths of human migration and settlement. The most widely supported theory postulates that a modest population of nomadic hunter-gatherers migrated eastward from Siberia onto the broad tundra-like expanse of Beringia no later than about 23,000 B.C. 38 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2013 Ancient Hunter-Gatherers Our knowledge of the first Pennsylvanians is some point, at least a portion of this founding far from complete. Although the Meadowcroft population embarked on a multi-generational eastern side of the Rockies. Once south of the excavation documents people living in the migration southward into what is now the glaciers, the Paleoindians could have spread region 16,000 years ago, it is unclear who continental United States. From the outset, out across the continent. Regardless of which they were, when they first arrived, or by what the imposing continental glaciers of the last route they followed, we know that small route they got here. Fortunately, traditional Ice Age presented formidable barriers, which bands of hunter-gatherers had established archaeology is today being augmented by limited these first Americans to only two hunting territories in Western Pennsylvania innovative genetic testing methods that possible routes. One option was the Pacific no later than 16,000 years ago. provide valuable insight into where the First Coastal Route, which would have involved An intimate connection existed between Americans may have originated. The most using small boats to skirt the coastline as the First Americans and the land, climate, widely supported theory postulates that they traveled southward toward present-day plants, and animals of their hunting grounds. a modest population of nomadic hunter- California. The second option, which would For the Paleoindians, late Pleistocene gatherers migrated eastward from Siberia only have been available prior to 24,000 Pennsylvania presented a harsh world by onto the broad tundra-like expanse of years ago and again after 15,000 B.C., was the modern standards. The overall climate was Beringia no later than about 23,000 B.C. At Ice-Free Corridor route that ran along the decidedly colder with longer, frigid winters and WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2013 39 Flint spear points, stone knives, basketry, a bone snare trigger, roasting pits, food storage pits, freshwater mollusk shells, nuts, hackberry seeds, and the bones from a diverse array of animals ... indicate that the Meadowcroft Rockshelter served as an important food procurement and processing camp. ABOVE: Meadowcroft Museum founder Albert Miller on left with lead archaeologist James Adovasio. Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village. tailed deer, the elders knew where to find the RIGHT: At approximately 12 -14,000 years old, the needed resource, thus helping to ensure the Miller lanceolate point from Meadowcroft is one of success of the band. the oldest spear points ever found in North America. Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village. Although nomadic, hunter-gatherers did not move about randomly. Instead, they shorter, cooler summers.2 Continental glaciers moved intentionally from one base camp to still dominated half of North America, although another in an annual cycle aimed at exploiting they had withdrawn northward to present-day seasonably available resources. For example, Erie by the time Paleoindians first camped at access to a variety of natural resources. the band might camp along a major creek Meadowcroft. The overall cooler climate in Considering that each ecosystem contained in the early spring to take advantage of the combination with local variations in elevation its own distinct suite of plant and animals annual fish spawn. Then they might relocate had a profound impact on the vegetation of the species, it is evident why Pleistocene to a marshy area to gather the freshly laid region. The landscape comprised a mosaic of Pennsylvania’s mosaic of different plant eggs of migratory waterfowl. By late spring different ecosystems that are simply not seen communities proved so beneficial to and early summer, the band might camp in in our region today. Boreal forests of spruce the nomadic Paleoindians who lacked an upland meadow to harvest a succession of and fir trees likely dominated much of the permanent villages, agriculture, or even ripening wild strawberries, raspberries, and landscape, while short grasses and diminutive, domestic animals aside from the dog. For blackberries. The location of late summer slow-growing flowers characterized the higher hunter-gatherers, the forests and fields base camps may have been influenced by elevations.3 Of particular significance was the functioned as supermarkets, pharmacies, the need for edible walnuts, acorns, hickory existence of scattered stands of hardwood and hardware stores. A deep familiarity nuts, and hackberries. During the winter, deciduous trees such as oaks, hickories, and with the local plant, animal, and mineral the desire for a sunny southern exposure walnut that grew within scattered groves.4 resources allowed the Paleoindians to hunt and protection from the wind may have Paleoindian hunter-gatherers could easily for and gather all the food, medicinal herbs, influenced the location of a base camp. The have visited all three of these major ecosystems and raw materials necessary to provide for arrival of early spring started anew the annual within just a few days walk. their daily needs. Whether it was a specific cycle of seasonal movements. The success or failure of a band of medicinal plant, a rich deposit of flint, or the Archaeological evidence from the hunter-gatherers hinged on having ready most likely spot to locate a herd of white- Meadowcroft Rockshelter reflects the 40 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SPRING 2013 seasonal nature of the hunter-gatherer collectively indicate that the Meadowcroft not opportunistically exploit the discovery of lifestyle. Lead investigator Adovasio points Rockshelter served as an important food a recently deceased or weak mammoth, but out that the Rockshelter saw its heaviest procurement and processing camp. if they did, all evidence of this is absent at use as a base camp during the late summer Just as significant is that Meadowcroft Meadowcroft. In a community where the loss and fall. In addition, the presence of bird lacks the remains of any late Pleistocene mega- of even a single able-bodied adult might spell eggshells indicates that people occasionally fauna. Although the Paleoindians shared the the difference between the success and failure camped at the Rockshelter during the landscape with mastodons, mammoths, giant of the band, it made good sense to avoid the spring.5 Of special note is the fact that beavers, dire wolves, and short-faced bears, large and dangerous mega-fauna.6 most of the Rockshelter artifacts in some Paleoindians apparently did not hunt them. The bands of hunter-gatherers that way relate to the quest for food.

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