Huber Site facts for kids

The Huber Site (also known as 11Ck-1) is an important archaeological site in Illinois. It is located near Chicago, along Tinley Creek. This site helps us learn about people who lived in the area long ago.

Archaeologists believe the Huber Site was used during the late Prehistoric period. This means it was before Europeans came to North America. The people who lived here were part of the Upper Mississippian group.

Discovering the Past: Digging at Huber

Archaeologists have studied the Huber Site many times. The University of Chicago first explored it with W.C. Bennet. However, a full report about their findings was not published.

More digs happened in 1956. Later, in 1990, a detailed study came out. This study included information from both earlier excavations. It was published by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Center for American Archaeology. These studies help us understand the site better.

Pottery Clues: Dating the Huber Site

Pottery found at archaeological sites can tell us a lot. Different styles of pottery were popular at different times. This helps archaeologists figure out how old a site is.

At the Huber Site, most pottery has a smooth surface. Only a small amount (about 1%) has a cordmarked surface. Cordmarked means it has marks from cords pressed into the wet clay. Also, much of the pottery has fine, thin lines for decoration. The edges of the pottery (called "lips") are mostly smooth, not notched.

We can compare Huber pottery to pottery from the nearby Hoxie Farm Site. At Hoxie Farm, more pottery (23.5%) was cordmarked. Also, less of their pottery had fine-line decoration. This comparison tells us that the Huber Site was likely used later than the Hoxie Farm Site.

Huber and Other Ancient Cultures

The Huber culture is often talked about with the Fisher culture. Both were Upper Mississippian groups. They lived around the southern Lake Michigan area. This includes parts of northern Illinois, Indiana, and southwest Michigan.

Both cultures made pottery using crushed shells to strengthen the clay. However, their pottery looked different:

• Huber pottery: Mostly smooth surfaces with fine, thin line decorations.
• Fisher pottery: Mostly cordmarked surfaces with wider line decorations.

For a long time, archaeologists debated how Huber and Fisher cultures were related. Early ideas suggested they were separate. But now, we know more. Fisher culture is older than Huber. Also, Huber sites are sometimes found with early European trade goods. This means Huber people lived closer to the time Europeans arrived.

Interestingly, both Fisher and Huber pottery have been found at the same sites. Examples include Hoxie Farm, Griesmer, and Moccasin Bluff. Most archaeologists now believe that Huber culture developed from Fisher culture over time.

Why the Huber Site is Important

The Huber Site is very important in archaeology. It gave its name to an entire Upper Mississippian group. Many artifacts found here give us a peek into daily life long ago.

Daily Life and Fun

Archaeologists found many items that show how people lived:

• Personal items: Hair accessories, bracelets, and pendants were found. These show how people decorated themselves.
• Tools: Hoes made from bison and elk shoulder blades were used for farming.
• Games: A bone or antler dice suggests that people played games.
• Music: A bone rasp, a type of musical instrument, was also found. This shows that music was part of their lives.

Farming and Food

Even though no plant remains were found, there is strong evidence of farming. The hoes made from animal bones point to agricultural activities. Also, corn has been found at other Huber sites like Hoxie Farm. This tells us that the Huber people were farmers.

Based on the animal bones found, researchers believe the site was used from spring through fall. This was likely the growing season for their crops.

Beliefs and Ceremonies

The Huber Site also gives us clues about the beliefs of the Native Americans who lived there. Engraved pebbles were found. These might show their belief in a spirit world. Some Ojibwe people, for example, would draw animals before a hunt. They believed this would help them succeed.

The Huber Site might have been a special place for ceremonies or burials. Several factors suggest this:

• Burials: Human burials were found at the site.
• Dog bones: Dog bones were present. In some Great Lakes Native American societies, dogs were part of special ceremonies.
• Special artifacts: Items like the bone rasp and engraved pebbles might have had religious meaning.

There are several other Huber sites in the Chicago and northwest Indiana areas. These include Hoxie Farm, Oak Forest, Anker, Bowmanville, and Griesmer. It is thought that these sites formed a network. This network included large villages and smaller sites used for special purposes, like ceremonies or burials. The Huber Site itself might have been one of these ceremonial or burial sites.