Vore Buffalo Jump facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Vore Buffalo Jump
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | Sundance, Wyoming |
|---|---|
| NRHP reference No. | 73001930 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
The Vore Buffalo Jump is a very important archaeological site in Crook County, Wyoming. An archaeological site is a place where people find old things from the past. This site is a natural pit, like a giant hole in the ground. It was formed when soft gypsum soil washed away, leaving a deep, steep-sided hole. This pit is about 40 feet (12 meters) deep and 200 feet (61 meters) wide.
Native American hunters used this pit to hunt bison (also called buffalo). They would scare the bison and make them run towards the pit. The pit was deep enough to kill or seriously hurt the animals that fell into it. This made hunting much easier and safer for the people. The Vore site was used for hunting and butchering bison for about 300 years, from around 1500 AD to 1800 AD.
Contents
How the Buffalo Jump Worked
The Vore Buffalo Jump is one of many "buffalo jump" sites. These sites are found across the central United States and southern Canada. They were clever hunting spots used by Native American tribes. Hunters would work together to guide large herds of bison. They would use loud noises, flags, or even fire to make the bison stampede. The goal was to direct the animals right into the natural pit.
Once the bison were in the pit, they were either killed or too injured to escape. This made it easy for the hunters to get food, hides, and bones. The Vore site was not just a place to kill animals. It was also a place where the bison were cut up (butchered). The meat was prepared, and other parts were used for tools, clothing, and shelter.
What Archaeologists Found
Archaeologists are like detectives who study the past. In the 1970s, they started digging at the Vore Buffalo Jump. They found many amazing things. They dug down about 15 feet (4.6 meters) and found layers of bison bones. They also found projectile points, which are the tips of spears or arrows.
About ten tons of bones were carefully removed from the site. That's like the weight of five small cars! Even with all that work, only about five percent of the site has been dug up. Experts believe the pit still holds the remains of about 20,000 buffalo. This shows how important this site was for hunting over many years.
Who Used the Site?
Evidence from the stone tools found at the site suggests that different Native American groups used the Vore Buffalo Jump. The Kiowa and Apache peoples likely used it as they traveled south. Later, other tribes also used this important hunting spot. These included the Shoshone, Hidatsa, Crow, and Cheyenne peoples. Each group used the jump for their own hunting needs over many generations.
Discovery and Preservation
The Vore Buffalo Jump was discovered by accident in the early 1970s. Workers were building Interstate 90, a major highway. The road was planned to go right over the sinkhole. When they drilled into the ground, they found huge amounts of bison bones.
The University of Wyoming was told about the discovery. They quickly realized it was a very important archaeological site. Because of this, the highway was moved a little to the south. This protected the Vore site from being destroyed.
Dr. George Frison from the University of Wyoming led the first studies in 1971 and 1972. In 1982, the Vore family, who owned the land, gave the site to the University. They wanted it to become a public education center. This meant people could visit and learn about its history.
However, there wasn't enough money to build the center right away. So, the site was later given to the Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation. This foundation has built a small visitor center. They also offer tours and information to help people learn about this incredible piece of history. The Vore site is now located in a small area between Interstate 90 and old US 14. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, recognizing its importance.
