information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... ·...
Transcript of information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... ·...
![Page 1: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
information guide
![Page 2: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
World Heritage Sites – an overview• In2006 there were only 12 other World Heritage Sites in Canada.
•ThehistoryofdesignatingWorldHeritageSitesgoesbackto1972. Recognizingthattheworld’sculturalheritageknowsnonationalboundaries,memberstatesofUNESCOunanimouslyformedaConventionfortheProtectionoftheWorldCulturalandNaturalHeritage,knownastheWorldHeritageConvention.
•TheWorldHeritageConventionprovidesaworldwidesystemofcooperationtoprotecttheworld’sheritagewithinapermanent administrativeframework.
•TheConventionmaintainsaWorldHeritagelistidentifyingtreasuressuchasmasterpiecesofhumanity’screativegenius,uniquewitnessesoflostcivilizations,naturalhabitatswherethreatenedspeciesofplantsandanimalsstillsurvive,andbeliefsthathaveleftastrongmarkonhumanity.
ForinformationonUNESCOseewww.unesco.org
world heritage sites
for more info
Head-Smashed-in
Buffalo Jump
Box 1977
Fort Macleod, Alberta
Canada T0L 0Z0
tel (403) 553 2731
fax (403) 533 3141
www.head-smashed-in.com
head-smashed-in buffalo jump is known around the worldforitsremarkable
testimonyofprehistoriclife.Thesitebearswitnesstoacustompracticedbynativepeopleofthe
NorthAmericanplainsatHSIBJfornearly6,000years.Thankstotheirexcellentunderstanding
oftopographyandofbisonbehavior,theywereabletokillbisonbydrivingthemoveraprecipice.
Carcasseswerecarvedupandprocessedinthebutcheringcampbelow.
In1981,theUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization(UNESCO)
designatedthejumpasaWorldHeritageSite,placingitamongotherworldattractionssuch
astheEgyptianpyramidsandtheGalapagosIslands.
Why is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump a World Heritage Site?
![Page 3: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
• Somemeatwasmadeintopemmicanbyfirstsun-dryingit,thenpulverizingthedried
meatwithastonemaulandmixingthiswithbuffalofat.Toaddflavortopemmican,
fruitsuchaschokecherriesorsaskatoonberrieswasadded.Themixturewasthen
placedina‘parfleche’,arawhidecontainer,andpoundedtoremoveallairfromthe
food.Thismixture,whencarefullyprepared,remainedibleformanyyears.
•Longbeforetheyhadthehorse,thegunoreventhebow,Plains NativeTribeshuntedthebuffalo,drivingherdstotheirdeathoverthecliffsatHead-Smashed-InBuffaloJump.
•Buffalojumpingissuchasophisticatedhuntingtechniquethatmodernscienceisonlybeginningtounderstanditsworkings.
•Thehuntbeganwithaspiritualceremonyinwhichmedicinewomenandmenwouldgothroughdetailedritualstoensureasafeandsuccessfulhunt.
•Duringtheceremonies,the‘buffalorunners’weresenttolocateandherdtheanimals.Thesewereyoungmenwhopossessedskilltomovethebisonherds.
•Thebuffalorunners,disguisedunderanimalhides,wouldpassneartheherdsandtrytolurethemtowardthecliffs,usingtheirintricateknowledgeofbuffalobehavior.
• IngeniousV-shapeddrivelaneswereusedtochannelherdstothemostdangerouspointonthecliffs.Theselaneswereedgedwithrowsofstonecairnswhicharestillvisibletoday.Thelanessnaketheirwayacrossthecountryside,followingridges,crossingcouleesandrisingacrossthetopsofhighhills.
•Nearthecliffareaofthedrivelanes,peoplehidbehindbrushstuckintothecairnsandpreventedthebeastsfromstrayingbyshoutingandwavingbuffalohides.Huntersrushedfrombehind,panickingtheanimalsintoathunderingheadlongplungeoverthecliff.
•Afterfalling,manybuffalowereonlystunnedorwounded.Hunterswaitedbelowtheclifftokillthesurvivingbeasts.TheNativePeoplebelievedthatescapinganimalswouldwarnotherherdsofthedeadlytrap.
•Thekillbroughtasurplusofmeattofamiliesandclansparticipatinginthehunt.Thepeopledriedthemeat,madepemmican,extractedfatfromthebones,madetools,andtannedhides.Almosteverypartoftheanimalwasused.
buffalo jumping
?knowdidyou
![Page 4: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Napi’sWorldLevel 1 orients the visitortothedelicateecologyoftheprehistoricplains;describesthegeography,climate,andvegetation;andintroducesthenativeaccountoftheoriginofpeopleandhowtheylearnedtohuntthebuffalo.
Napi’sPeopleLevel 2 provides an overviewofthelifestyleofthePlainspeopleandincludesreconstructionsofatipiand‘dogdays’travois,andanumberofartifactswhichvisitorsareencouragedtohandle.This‘handson’approachtointerpretationhasbeenakeyelementinthedevelopmentofdisplaysandprogramsthroughouttheCentre.
TheBuffaloHuntLevel 3 describes the use of jump sitesliketheoneatHead-Smashed-In,focusingonatopographicalmodelofthegatheringbasinanddrivelanesusedtodirectthestampedingherdtowardthecliff.Thespiritualandceremonialsignificanceofthehuntisalsoexplored.
Theatre ‘insearchofthebuffalo’,atenminutefilmdepictingtheIniskimCeremony.LocalBlackfootactorsre-createabuffalodriveandtheactivitiessurroundingajump.
CulturesinContactLevel 4 depicts the consequencesoftheintroductionofEuropeantradegoodsintheearly18thcentury.Thearrivalofthehorseandgunmarkedthepassingofthetraditionalbuffalohuntanddramaticallyalteredthenativebuffaloculture.Europeancontactbroughtepidemicsofforeignoriginthatnearlywipedoutthenativepopulation.
UncoveringthePastLevel 5 includes a film presentationofthearchaeologicalprogramatHead-Smashed-In.
the exhibits
• Itisestimatedthat60millionbuffaloroamedtheGreatPlainswhentheEuropeans
arrivedinNorthAmerica.
• TheHead-Smashed-Inareaaverage35Chinooksperyear,thehighestfrequencyin
Canada’schinookbelt.AChinookisthewarm,dry,westerlywindthatflowsoverthe
RockyMountainsandbringsrelieffromcold,snowywinterweather.?knowdidyou
![Page 5: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Fire Exit
Upper Trail and Viewpoint
level 1 – Napi’s World
Fire Exit
Entrance/Fire Exit
Fire Exit
Fire Exit
To Lower Trail >
Theatre
level 4 – mezzanineCultures in Contact
level 2 – Napi’s People
level 3 – The Buffalo Hunt
Camp Site and Processing Area
Gathering Basin
Head-Smashed-In
Drive Lanes
Head-Smashed-In
Kill Site
Gathering Basin
Calderwood
Drive Lanes
Calderwood
Kill Site
Plaza
< to Lower Parking
to Lower Trail >
Elevator 1
Elevator 2
level 4 – Cafeteria
level 5 – Ground LevelGift Shop & Information
level 5 – Ground LevelUncovering the Past
To view the exhibits chronologically:follow the ‘Red Buffalo’ from Elevator 1 to Elevator 2 on Level 3. Take Elevator 2 and then two flights of stairs to reach the Upper Trail Viewpoint, then follow the exhibits moving downward from Napi’s World to Ground Level.
Follow the ‘Red Buffalo’
Interpretive Centre
![Page 6: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
the archaeology
• Buffalohornswerescrapedandformedintospoons.
• Buffalotongueswereoftengivetomedicinemenorwomen,whowereresponsiblefor
ensuringthesuccessofthehunt.
• PeterFidler,aHudson’sBayCompanytrader,wasprobablythefirstEuropeanexplorerto
visitthePorcupineHillsarea.Hetraveledtherein1792/93withabandofPeiganIndians.
•ThisWorldHeritageSiteisrichinprehistory.Boneandtoolbeds,nearlyelevenmetresthick,liebeneaththejump’ssandstonecliffs.
•TheoldestevidenceofhumansatHead-Smashed-InisrepresentedbytwoScottsbluffspearpoints,whicharebelievedtobe9,000years old.Thesepointsindicatethesitewasvisitedinearlyprehistorictimes,althoughthereisnoevidencethatbisonweredrivenoverthecliffbythemakersoftheearlyartifacts.
•Accordingtoradiocarbondatingofancientbones,thesitewasusedasabuffalojump5,700 yearsago–morethan500yearsbeforethefirstpyramidwasbuiltinEgyptandbeforeStonehengewaserectedinEngland.
•Head-Smashed-Inisjustonepartofacommunalkillsitecomplexwhichincludesanetworkofsophisticateddrivelanesusedtogatherherdsandlurethemtothecliffs.
•ThefirstarchaeologisttoinvestigatethesitewasJuniusBirdoftheAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistory in 1938.Sincethen,thesitehasseenfourmajorarchaeologicalprojects,betweenthelate1940s and early nineties.
•Atthebottomlayerofthekillsite,archaeologistshavefoundprojectilesusedduringtheMiddlePrehistoricPeriod.Thesetoolsarefromthe‘MummyCaveComplex’–crudeprojectilepoints,smallerthanspearheads,buttoolargetotiparrows.Thepointswereattachedtoadartthatwasthrownwithan‘atlatl’orthrowingstick.
•Duringtheperiodfromabout4,000 to 3,000 yearsago,thejumpappearstohavebeenabandoned.TherearenotoolsorbonedepositsdirectlyabovethoseattributedtotheMummyCaveComplex.Archaeologistsareuncertainwhythejumpwasnotusedatthistime.
•MostofthebonedepositsandartifactsrecoveredatHead-Smashed-IncomefromLatePrehistorictimes;thatis,duringthelast1,800 years.
•TheuppermostlayersatHead-Smashed-Incontainmetalarrowheads,indicatingthejumpwasusedinearlyhistorictimes.Asgunsandhorsesbecamecommonthelabour-intensivebuffalojumpsweresoonabandoned.
•Archaeologistshavealsostudiedsitesabovethecliffs.Therearepetroglyph,orrockcarvingareas,andvisionquestsiteswherebraveswouldgotocommunewiththespirits.Thesesitesarenotopentothepublic.
?knowdidyou
![Page 7: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Interiorskylights over the ecological and buffalo jump displaysprovidenaturallight.
Thebuilding’sinteriorhasaseriesofterracesonwhichthedisplaysarearranged.
Elevatorsandstairstakevisitorstothetopofthebuildingwheretheycanoverlookthepanoramicplains.Stairsallowvisitorstodescendthroughtheexhibitsandtheatretothemainfloorandgiftshop.
Exteriorto give the impression the building was created by erosion, its exteriorcloselyresemblesthesurroundingrockoutcropsincolorandtexture.Thisthemeofsubduedsandstonehuesisreinforcedinsidethebuilding.
OutsidetheCentre,visitorscanwalktoaninterpretivenode,overlookingthejumpsite,ortakeawalkintheshadowofthecliffsonthelowertrail.
the architecture
• Duringthesummermonths,thebuffalo’shairisatitsshortest.Lodgecoversand
numerousotherarticlesweremadefromthesoft,dressedbuffaloskins.
• Oneortwoindividualanimals,usuallyfemales,ledthebuffaloherds.
• Naturaltopographicbarrierssuchascoulees,depressions,orhillsweresometimes
usedtofunnelbuffalotothejump.SuchisthecaseatHead-Smashed-In.
The unique $9.8 million visitor centre (1987 dollars) is a seven-tiered building buried in a large slump block, south of the jump sites.
ArchitectRobertLeBlond(ofLeBlondPartnership)designedtheCentre.Carefultonotdisturbthefragilearchaeologicaldeposits,contractorsremovedasectionofthecliff,builtamassiveconcretebox,andthenpulledtheearthandgrassbackoverthetopofthebuilding.
RobertLeBlondwaspresentedtheGovernorGeneral’sAwardfor Architecturein1990forhisdesign.
?knowdidyou
![Page 8: information guide - AlbertaWowalbertawow.com/layout_maps/headsmashedin-buffalo-jump... · 2020-05-26 · History in 1938. Since then, the site has seen four major archaeological projects,](https://reader034.fdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022050501/5f93ac292fed2d53556e98a4/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
LocationHead-Smashed-InBuffaloJumpislocated18kmnorthandwestofFortMacleodonsecondaryHighway#785(SpringPointRoad),attheeasternedgeofthePorcupineHills,approximately100kmeastoftheRockyMountains.
HoursofOperationOpen year-round, seven days a week. 10am–5pm
Closed: ChristmasEve,ChristmasDay, NewYear’sDay,andEasterSunday
History1968–designatedaNationalHistoricSite1979–designatedaProvincialHistoricResource1981 – designated a World Heritage Site1982–May,ProvincialGovernmentapprovalforInterpretiveCentre1984–September28,groundbreakingceremony1985–June,startconstruction1986–October,finishconstruction1986–December,buildingoccupancy1987–July23,officialopeningwithHRHPrinceAndrewand PrincessSarahFerguson,theDukeandDuchessofYork.
the centre
FACILITIES
Theatre(80seats)
Cafeteria(60seats)
GiftShop
Over2kmofoutdoor
interpretivetrails
Wheelchairaccessible
services
ToursoftheCentre
withBlackfootGuides
Educationprograms
Tipicamping(seasonal)
PARkING
Cars:120stalls
Trailers/RV’s:30stalls
Buses:6stalls
DIMENSIONS
Site:1,270acres
Building:2,400 m²
Publicareas:1,850 m²
Displayareas:568 m²
COSTTOBuILD
9.82 million in 1986
CONTACT
Box1977
FortMacleod,Alberta
CanadaT0L0Z0
tel (403) 553 2731
fax (403) 533 3141
email [email protected]
www.head-smashed-in.com