Tipi Hills facts for kids

Tipi Hills is a special place in Sheridan County, Montana. It covers about 95 acres (38 hectares) of land. This area is an archeological site, which means it holds clues about people who lived there a very long time ago.

Tipi Hills was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This is a list of important historical places in the United States. The exact location of Tipi Hills is kept secret to protect it from harm. Long ago, it was a busy camp for early Native American groups.

Discovering Tipi Hills

Archeologists study old sites like Tipi Hills. They look for artifacts and other signs of human life. In 1992, experts reviewed many historical places in Sheridan County. They learned a lot about how ancient people lived there.

Clues from the Past

Ancient cultures used to set up camps and hunt buffalo in this area. They left behind many clues. These clues help us understand their way of life. Similar signs have been found in nearby U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

Archeologists found two important spots at Tipi Hills. They are called 24SH659 and 24SH660. These spots contained interesting artifacts. Some of these items suggest there were once sweat lodges there. Sweat lodges are special buildings used for ceremonies and cleansing.

What are Tipi Rings?

One of the sites also had artifacts from 13 tipi rings. Tipi rings are circles of stones. These stones were used to hold down the edges of tipis, which were cone-shaped tents. Finding these rings shows us where people set up their homes.

The sites also had two hearths. Hearths are old fireplaces. They show where people cooked food and kept warm. These discoveries help us imagine what life was like at Tipi Hills many centuries ago.