Buresh site facts for kids

The Buresh Archeological Site (also known as 14SR303) is an important historical place near Caldwell, Kansas in Sumner County, Kansas. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1971. This means it's a special spot that helps us learn about the past.

What is the Buresh Site?

The Buresh site is an archaeological site. This is a place where people lived a long time ago. Archaeologists study these sites to find clues about how ancient people lived. The Buresh site is part of something called the Bluff Creek complex. This is a group of similar ancient settlements found in the area.

Who Lived at Buresh?

The people who lived at the Buresh site were part of the Middle Ceramic period. This was a time when Native American groups in the Great Plains started making pottery. They also began to live in more settled villages. Archaeologist Tom Witty studied the Buresh site. He found the remains of four different houses there. Two of these houses were square, one was oval, and another was rectangular.

What Did Archaeologists Find?

When archaeologists dug at the Buresh site, they found many interesting things. They discovered rounded ceramic jars and bowls. These pots were made using a special technique called "tempering." This means they added materials like sand or crushed bone to the clay. This made the pottery stronger and less likely to crack when heated.

How Old is the Site?

Scientists tried to figure out how old the Buresh site is using a method called radiocarbon dating. This method looks at tiny amounts of carbon in old materials to estimate their age. Based on these tests, they thought the site might be from around the year 1050 AD. However, the dating method used at the time was not perfect. This means the exact date might not be completely accurate.