Hell Gap Archaeological Site facts for kids
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Hell Gap Paleoindian Site
(48GO305) |
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Guernsey, Wyoming |
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| NRHP reference No. | 100000877 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 23, 2016 |
| Designated NHL | December 23, 2016 |
Hell Gap is a very important archaeological site in eastern Wyoming. It's about 13 miles north of Guernsey. Since 1959, many ancient tools and items from Paleoindian and Archaic times have been found here.
This site is special because it has so many artifacts from different prehistoric cultures. These cultures lived between about 13,500 and 7,600 years ago. Hell Gap was named a National Historic Landmark in 2016. This means it's a place of great historical importance.
Contents
Discovering Hell Gap: A Window to the Past
Hell Gap is made up of five different areas, or "localities." Each area has its own unique archaeological discoveries. The site is located in a valley about 4,921 feet above sea level. A small stream nearby likely made it a good place for ancient people to live.
In 1959, two archaeologists, James Duguid and Malcolm McKnight, found the site. They were students at the University of Wyoming. Because the ground hadn't changed much over thousands of years, the ancient layers were perfectly preserved. This allowed archaeologists to dig up and date the artifacts in all five areas.
From 1961 to 1966, and again from 1995 onwards, teams from the University of Wyoming and the George Frison Institute excavated the site. They learned a lot about how Paleoindian people lived. For example, they found evidence of bison hunting and new types of projectile points, like the Hell Gap and Goshen points.
Ancient Tools and Cultures at Hell Gap
Hell Gap contains many different types of projectile points. These include points from the Llano, Clovis, Folsom, and Plano traditions. Specific types found are Agate Basin, Alberta, Frederick, Goshen (Plainview), Lusk, Hell Gap, Midland, and Cody points.
Three new archaeological cultures were first identified at this site: Hell Gap, Goshen (Plainview), and Frederick. Scientists believe the Folsom culture came from the Clovis culture. However, it's hard to find clear evidence between them. The Goshen complex found at Hell Gap might be from this in-between time.
The Hell Gap and Agate Basin points are the earliest types of the Plano tradition. The oldest dates for these points are from 10,200 to 9,600 years ago. The Plano tradition refers to Paleoindian groups who hunted bison more and more. Agate Basin points are similar to Hell Gap points but are about 500 years older.
Agate Basin, Goshen, and Folsom points are often found together at Hell Gap. In one area, Locality II, archaeologists found evidence of at least four different Paleoindian cultures. These include the Midland, Hell Gap, Agate Basin, and Lusk cultures.
Daily Life of Paleoindian People
Hell Gap has given us amazing insights into the lives of Paleoindian people. This is because of the many artifacts found there. These include animal bones, parts of ancient homes, fireplaces, and projectile points.
The ancient structures found are circles of postholes. These are some of the oldest buildings in North America, dating back over 12,000 years. They might even show early use of the tipi, a type of tent.
The diet of the people living at Hell Gap during the early Holocene period was mainly bison. But they also ate smaller animals, berries, fish, and birds. These might have also been used for medicine or decoration.
The findings show how they processed and moved animal parts from hunting sites to their camp. They likely took large amounts of marrow from bison bones. The people at Hell Gap focused on a diet high in fat and protein. This is shown by the large number of bison remains in Locality II.
Archaeologists and Ongoing Research
Many archaeologists have worked at the Hell Gap site over the years. James Duguid and Malcolm McKnight first discovered it. Later, professional archaeologists took over the excavations.
From 1962 to 1966, Henry Irwin, Cynthia Irwin-Williams, George Agogino, John Brew, C. Vance Haynes, Jr., and H.M. Wormington worked on the project. Their detailed reports provide a lot of information. They include lists of discoveries, photos, maps, and descriptions of the layers and artifacts.
Today, the George C. Frison Institute, the Wyoming Archaeological Foundation, and the University of Wyoming's Anthropology Department oversee much of the work. Since 2009, a team has been re-examining Hell Gap. They hope to learn new things about Paleoindian culture and history.
Recent excavations focus on finding new campsites and projectile points from the Frederick, Hell Gap, and Cody cultures. They also want to update past information. In 1995, George Frison received a grant from the National Geographic Society. This helped him collect and organize data from past excavations. There is still much to learn from Hell Gap about ancient ways of life. Many groups continue to study the findings from this important site.
