Archaeology and Paleontology
- The first archaeologically recorded human societies in South Dakota stalked the now extinct woolly mammoth and bison antiquus. Campfire scars, tipi rings, buffalo jumps, stone tools, spear points, stylized rock carvings and other prehistoric clues indicate that these people lived in South Dakota more than 11,000 years ago.
- Sandstone cliffs in the Cave Hills area (northwestern South Dakota) display symbols and animal images carved there over the last 5,000 years. This area contains the state's best display of rock art.
- The glacial lakes in northeastern South Dakota offer evidence of Woodland peoples, who were the state's first gardeners. Artifacts from a village discovered at Roy Lake date the site sometime around 900 to 1300 A.D. Pottery shards and burial mounds found throughout eastern South Dakota indicate the presence of these prehistoric peoples.
- Plains village sites more than 900 years old have been discovered along the Missouri and other South Dakota rivers. These ancient hunters and gardeners built large earth-lodge towns surrounded by ditches to keep out enemies. They grew crops such as corn, beans, squash and sunflowers. Above Crow Creek along Lake Francis Case, archaeologists have salvaged the remains of nearly 500 villagers in a fortification trench surrounding the village. The villagers were killed by competing groups.
- Mitchell's Prehistoric Indian Village dates from the 10th century, when as many as 1,000 semi-nomadic hunters and gardeners occupied its large, solidly built lodges. The Thomsen Center Archeodome covers portions of the village, allowing for year-round excavation, research and interpretation at the site. The Archeodome is the only facility of its kind in the country.
- Fort Pierre Chouteau is a National Landmark site. The fur-trade fort was built in 1832 on the Missouri River near present-day Fort Pierre. The site is the only one of its kind on the Missouri River that still contains it archaeological integrity. Archaeologists and volunteers have worked on this site to identify its exact location and bring to life the daily activities of a fur-trade fort.
- Because of their excellent preservation in river sediments, the Oligocene beds in Badlands National Park are some of the world's richest vertebrate fossil sites. Remains of three-toed horses, dog-sized camels and saber-toothed cats have been discovered, all dating back 23 to 35 million years. Rapid City's internationally acclaimed Museum of Geology houses a collection of more than a quarter million vertebrate fossils representative of the region.
- For several years, paleontologists have been excavating at a site called the Big Pig Dig in Badlands National Park. Work began in 1993, after two visitors discovered an exposed fossilized vertebral column. The dig has uncovered an array of bones from Archaeotherium (a large pig-like mammal), ancient rhinoceroses and horses, and a small deer-like mammal.
- In 1981, a crew of ranchers and paleontologists painstakingly extracted a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton from Haystack Butte, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belle Fourche. Only the sixth T-rex skeleton find in the world, the dig ultimately yielded roughly half the 65-million-year-old dinosaur's bones.
- Nine years later "Sue," the most complete T-rex ever discovered, was unearthed near Faith. "Sue" became the subject of much controversy and legal battles. She was eventually sold at an auction for more than $8 million.
- The discoverers of "Sue," paleontologists from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research in Hill City, lost "Sue" in a legal battle but still have "Stan," another T-rex. "Stan" is on display at their gallery, the Black Hills Museum of Natural History, also in Hill City. A replica of "Stan" can be seen at the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls.
- At the Unwily Coyote Site in the northern Black Hills, paleontologists are learning about animal life 4 million years ago. In recent years, the site has produced coyotes, camels and a variety of tiny vertebrates.
- To date, paleontologists and volunteers have unearthed the remains of 52 Columbian and woolly mammoths at The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Experts estimate as many as 100 of the prehistoric creatures may have died here, victims of a slippery-sided sinkhole where they'd gone to drink 26,000 years ago. As year-round excavation continues, the mammoth bones are displayed in situ, so visitors can see them exactly as they are found.
- Fossils of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs - giant marine reptiles that lived 80 million years ago - have been unearthed along the Missouri River.
- The Deadwood Chinatown Site in Deadwood was discovered in 2001. Work uncovered daily items (dishes, bottles and toiletries) used by the 1880's residents.
Several organizations and attractions sponsor archaeological and paleontological excavations that are open to the public. Digs vary from year to year. For more information, contact the following:
Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City
(605) 394-1936 www.sdsmt.edu/wwwsarc/
Badlands National Park
(605) 433-5240 www.nps.gov/badl/
Black Hills National Forest
(605) 673-9200 www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills
The Mammoth Site, Hot Springs
(605) 745-6017 www.mammothsite.com
Museum of Geology at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City
(605) 394-2467 www.sdsmt.edu/services/museum
Prehistoric Indian Village and Archeodome, Mitchell
(605) 996-5473 www.mitchellindianvillage.org
Copyright © 2008