Planview of one of the over 100 burials recorded during the 1989 excavations
at 39HU10.
In 1989 excavations were undertaken at the Pierre Indian Learning Center following the discovery of human interments while excavating foundations for a new school dining hall. The Pierre Indian Learning Center is built on the site of an Arikara village (39HU10). The 1990 excavations were undertaken in advance of the construction of waterlines to the school gym located to the west of the 1989 excavation area. In both instances excavations were limited to areas being disturbed by the proposed construction. Because construction was already underway in 1989, these excavations were salvage oriented and involved monitoring construction (backhoe) equipment. Excavations revealed a cemetery and interments in cache pits. All human remains and grave goods were reburied, and analyses of these items had to rely on field notes, plans and photographs. Detailed analyses of the retained village occupation debris was completed by various specialists.
The Indian School Village Site (39HU10) has been referred to as the "Indian Village" and as the "Stoeser Village". This site is one of the earliest documented archeological sites in South Dakota being recorded during the "Northwestern Archaeological" or Hill-Lewis Survey of the 1880's. On September 16, 1884, Lewis recorded a prehistoric Indian village situated in the NE1/4 of Section 10, Township 110 North, Range 79 West. He noted that,
This village is on a terrace about 1/2 mile from the river. Portions of it is in Sec. 2, 3, 10 and 11. From the place where these section corners [sic] the houses are scattered for nearly a mile on a line a little north of east. The main village is shown in the diagram (Figure 2). The houses are from 30 to 65 feet in diameter and from 1 to 3 feet deep. There are a few small heaps and large quantities of debris scattered over the village.
The images below are of a bone pendant-like item and an item of catlinite that may be associated with pipe smoking.If anyone has seen similar items elsewhere, please let me know - particularly the design motif common to both.
Bone
Catlinite
Several burials retained impressions of a mat covering
Artifacts were often placed around the head or knees
A report on these excavations is being prepared for the Bureau of Indian
Affairs.
For more information contact:
R. Peter Winham
2032 S. Grange Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
Phone (605) 274-5494
E-mail to WINHAM@inst.augie.edu