Windust Caves Archaeological District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Windust Caves Archaeological District
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| Location | Franklin County, Washington, USA |
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| Nearest city | Windust, Washington |
| Area | 505 acres (2.04 km2) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000479 |
| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1984 |
The Windust Caves are a group of nine caves. They are carved into a basalt cliff. This cliff is on the north side of the lower Snake River.
Archaeologists dug at the caves from 1959 to 1961. A team led by Harvey S. Rice did this work. Some caves were damaged by falling rocks. This happened when the Northern Pacific Railway was being built. Other caves were harmed by people looking for artifacts.
In 1961, the Ice Harbor Lock and Dam was finished. After this, the caves were flooded. They became part of a lake called Lake Sacajawea.
Ancient Life at Windust Caves
Archaeologists found that people lived in the caves at five different times. These periods of living happened one after another. They continued until people from Europe arrived in the area.
The Windust Phase
The oldest things found at Windust Caves are very similar to items from Marmes Rockshelter. Both sites show signs of the "Windust Phase." This was a time when people lived a seminomadic life. This means they moved around to find food.
The spear points from this time were different from earlier ones. They were stemmed and shaped like leaves. Scientists used Radiocarbon dating to find their age. They believe these points were made between 8,500 and 6,000 BCE.
Studying the Earth Layers
A scientist named Roald H. Fryxell studied the site's layers. He found ten layers of soil and rock above the basalt floor. Studying these layers, called stratigraphy, helps us understand the past. Each layer can tell us about a different time period.
