Tenderfoot site 5GN1835 facts for kids
Tenderfoot is an ancient site in the Gunnison area of Colorado. It's a place where people lived a very long time ago, during a time called the Archaic period. This site was carefully dug up and studied by archaeologist Mark Stiger and students from Western State College.
The Tenderfoot site is on a low ridge in Gunnison, Colorado. It looks over where the Gunnison and Tomichi Rivers meet.
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Discovering and Digging Up Tenderfoot
The Tenderfoot site was first noted in 1986. At that time, it seemed like a small area with only a few stone tools. But in 1991, the City of Gunnison asked Western State Colorado University to check the land again. They wanted to use part of the area for a tree disposal site.
Mark Stiger and two students surveyed the land. They found several spots with lots of old artifacts. They also found a good spot for the tree dump that didn't have any ancient remains. Because of their findings, the city asked for more research.
Many groups helped fund the dig. These included the Colorado Historical Society, the City of Gunnison, Western State Colorado University, and private donors.
The Digging Process
Fieldwork at Tenderfoot began in 1991 and continued until 1998. The team used a special tool called a Total Mapping Station to record everything. Because of the weather in Gunnison, they could only dig in June, July, and August.
They used standard archaeological methods. This meant digging in 1x1 meter squares. All the soil was then sifted through a fine screen to find small artifacts.
Over seven years, they dug up a large area, about 428 square meters. They found 90 special features, like old fire pits. They also recovered 24,621 artifacts! Most of these were stone tools. These tools included things like knives, scrapers, and grinding stones.
What Was Found at Tenderfoot
The Tenderfoot site has more than 85 features. These include fire pits (some lined with rocks), storage pits, and holes where posts for shelters once stood. They also found areas with fire-cracked rocks and even a structure.
Ancient Homes and Living Spaces
Some of the oldest structures found date back to the early Archaic period. These ancient homes were round or oval. They were shallow, basin-shaped areas about 4 to 5 meters across. Some had postholes, showing where wooden posts supported a roof.
The best-preserved homes had hearths (fireplaces) inside. They also had bell-shaped storage pits and other small pits in their floors. Archaeologists could tell these were homes by looking at:
- The features on the floor, like fire pits and storage pits.
- The pattern of features outside, like hearths and trash dumps.
- Certain artifacts found, like grinding stones, bone needles, and stone knives.
- How similar they were to other Archaic sites.
People built different kinds of structures during this time. One type found was a log structure covered with brush and mud. Other basin-shaped structures were also found. In one village area, a trash pile was almost two meters deep! It contained charcoal, ash, bone, and stone tool pieces. This shows that people lived in these homes throughout the winter.
Soil and Artifacts
The soil layers at Tenderfoot were quite shallow. They reached hard, chalky soil within 20 centimeters or less. In 1994, they dug surrounding pits but found only a few more artifacts.
Scientists took samples from four features to find out their age. They used radiocarbon dating for this. Over 24,621 stone artifacts were found. These were mostly made of quartzite, chert, and obsidian. Scientists studied these tools to learn about ancient technology. They measured things like the type of stone, how it was shaped, and how it was used.
Finding Tiny Clues
All the soil from the features at Tenderfoot went through a special process called flotation analysis. This uses water to separate tiny organic materials, like seeds or plant remains, from the soil.
At first, a mineral in the Gunnison soil made it hard for some organic material to float. After trying different things, the archaeologists found a solution. They floated the soil samples twice, letting them dry completely in between. This "double flotation" method helped them recover much more organic material.
Tenderfoot's Importance
From 1991 to 1999, many people visited the Tenderfoot site. Hundreds of visitors, including students from Gunnison County public schools, toured the dig. Western State College also gave presentations to students and community groups.
Tenderfoot is now on the State Register of Historic Properties. It has proven to be a very important archaeological site, teaching us a lot about ancient life in Colorado.
Further Information
- Western State Colorado University: Archaeology of the Gunnison Area
- Gunnison Chamber of Commerce: Museums and Observatory
References
- Stiger, M. (2001). Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology of the Colorado High Country. Boulder, Colorado: University Press of Colorado. ISBN: 0-87081-612-8.
- Commerce, G. C. (2013). Museums and Observatory In Gunnison, Colorado. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from Chamber of Commerce Gunnison, Colorado: https://web.archive.org/web/20130321060257/http://www.gunnison-co.com/index.php?pid=museum
