The Wardell Buffalo Trap 48 SU 301 : Communal Procurement in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming

The Late Prehistoric buffalo trap and meat-processing area known as the Wardell site is in Sublette County, in western Wyoming. In this volume, George C. Frison reports on the 1970–1971 excavation at the site. He describes the artifact assemblage and botanical materials and offers radiocarbon dates and an archaeological interpretation of the site. Contribution by Charles A. Reher. Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Plates Acknowledgments I. Introduction The Site Environment 'Bison bison' Procurement and its Effects on Plains Prehistory Postulated Use of the Wardell Buffalo Trap Some General Observations on Bison Butchering II. Archaeology of the Wardell Site Method of the Excavation The Kill Area Features The Artifact Assemblage Butchering Interpretations from Bone Frequencies The Meat-Processing Area General Description and Considerations Features of the Processing Area The Artifact Assemblage from the Processing Area Pathological Bone Identifiable Nonbison Bone Kill Area - Top Level Kill Area - Middle Level Kill Area - Bottom Level Meat-Processing Area Radiocarbon Dates Identifiable Botanical Materials Kill Area Meat-Processing Area III. Conclusions Appendix I. A Suggested Method for Comparison of Butchering Techniques Appendix II. The Wardell 'Bison bison' Sample: Population Dynamics and Archaeological Interpretation, by Charles A. Reher Acknowledgments Introduction Age Determination Sex Determination Population Structure Life Tables and Survivorship Curves Discussions and Conclusions Methodology Comparisons of the Wardell and Glenrock Populations Aspects of Archaeological Interpretation References