Lasley Vore Site facts for kids
| Site notes | |
|---|---|
| Discovered | 1988 |
| Archaeologists | Dr. George H. Odell |
| Public access | None |
The Lasley Vore Site is an exciting archaeological spot in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. It's located near the Arkansas River. Experts believe this site was once a large village of the Wichita people. About 6,000 people might have lived there.
This village was described by a French explorer named Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe. He wrote about his trading trip to this area in 1719. Even though no old buildings were found, archaeologists discovered fire pits and storage holes. They also found many cool items. These items included tools from the Wichita people and trade goods from France and Europe. All these finds date back to the early to mid-1700s. The main archaeologist, Dr. George H. Odell, shared his discoveries in a book in 2002.
Contents
Discovering the Ancient Village
How the Site Was Found
The Lasley Vore Site was discovered in 1988. This happened during a study for a new factory. The factory was planned to be built overlooking the Arkansas River. This spot is about 13 miles (21 km) south of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Kimberly Clark Corporation asked for this study. Dr. George H. Odell led the project. He was an anthropology professor at the University of Tulsa. His team worked in May and June of 1988. They had to work fast because the company wanted to start building its paper products plant soon.
Naming the Site
The site is named after an early landowner, Lasley Vore. He was a Muscogee man. He started a farm there around 1890. Vore passed away in 1898. He was buried in a small family cemetery nearby.
The land changed hands a few times after that. It was used as a dairy farm for some years. Then, Fred Parkhill bought it. He owned it for about 15 years. Finally, he sold it to Kimberly-Clark.
Exploring the Ground
Because of the tight schedule, Dr. Odell used a special tool. It was a Ditch Witch trenching machine. This helped him quickly figure out how big the important archaeological area was. The company owned a large piece of land, about 160 acres. But Dr. Odell found that only a small part, about 5 to 7.5 acres, was important for archaeology.
He then had the top layer of soil removed. This showed the older soil underneath. There, they saw marks and stains in the ground. These were signs of where storage pits, trash pits, and fire pits had been dug long ago. Dr. Odell reported finding 81 such features.
Treasures from the Past
What Archaeologists Uncovered
Many items found at the Lasley Vore Site were Native American artifacts. These tools and objects were typical of the early to mid-1700s. Other items were from Europe, from the same time period. Scientists used Radiocarbon dating to confirm how old these items were.
Dr. Odell thought these finds showed that the site was a semi-permanent Wichita village. It was a place where European traders often visited.
Wichita and European Artifacts
The Wichita artifacts found included tools like hide scrapers. They also found arrowheads (projectile points) and hoes made from bison shoulder blades. Pieces of pottery were also discovered.
From the French side, they found trade goods from the 18th century. These included colorful trade beads, metal axe heads, and metal knives. They even found parts of old guns.
In his 2002 book, Dr. Odell explained something interesting. The gun parts were the only items that could be definitely identified. They came from France and were from the early 1700s. He suggested that explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe might have brought these gun parts in 1719. All the other items matched La Harpe's descriptions of the village and his trading mission.
The La Harpe Expedition
A French Explorer's Journey
Historians have known for a long time about Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe. He was a French trader, explorer, and a nobleman. He led a trip into what is now Oklahoma in 1718-1719. His first goal was to set up a trading post. This was near where the city of Texarkana, Arkansas is today. But he traveled even further north, reaching the Arkansas River. He called it the Alcansas River.
After returning to France, La Harpe wrote about his journey. He said he and nine other men, plus three Caddo guides, traveled with 22 horses. The horses were loaded with goods for trading. They arrived at a native settlement overlooking the river.
A Warm Welcome
La Harpe wrote that the town had about 6,000 native people. Most of them were Tawakoni, a group related to the Wichita people. Some were also Taovaya, another Wichita group.
La Harpe's group received a very friendly welcome. They were honored with a special calumet ceremony. They stayed at this village for ten days. During this time, about 1,000 more related people arrived. They wanted to meet the Europeans, trade, and join in the fun and festivities.
More Information
- Odell, George H. La Harpe's Post: Tales of French-Wichita Contact on the Eastern Plains. The University of Alabama Press. Tuscaloosa. ISBN: 0-8173-1162-9 (2002).
