10 2307@25667570

Maney Publishing
THE DEVILS LAKE SOURISFORD BURIAL COMPLEX ON THE NORTHEASTERN PLAINS

Author(s): Leigh Syms
Source: Plains Anthropologist, Vol. 24, No. 86 (November 1979), pp. 283-308
Published by: Maney Publishing on behalf of the Plains Anthropological Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25667570
Accessed: 30-09-2015 22:15 UTC
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/
info/about/policies/terms.jsp
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content
in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship.
For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Plains Anthropological Society and Maney Publishing are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to
Plains Anthropologist.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Wed, 30 Sep 2015 22:15:57 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
THE DEVILS LAKE - SOURISFORD BURIAL COMPLEX

ON THE NORTHEASTERN PLAINS
by
LeighSyms
ABSTRACT
on
Isolated, exotic mortuary

Plains
the Northeastern
The necessity
of analyzing
with
incised Thunderbirds
lizard or salamander
effigies
the
whole
plus
complex
items have been reported

for a number of decades.
an unusual miniature
vessel
arrows
and broken
and
in re-definition of
resulted
of a
the development
a
to derive
dynamic
model
temporal-ecological
a series of inferences.
framework
for postulating
The exotic
items such as incised miniature
vessels,
whelk
tubular pipes,
shell
shell gorgets,
columella
and incised stone tablets found inCanada
and
beads,
as
are
the
U.S.
defined
of
the
Devils
part
was
Burial Complex.
This
Lake-Sourisford
complex
left by nomadic
who
settled on the
Siouan
peoples
Plains during the Neo-Atlantic

Northeastern
Climatic
were undergo
Period when Mississippian
populations
and influence. These
nomads
expansion
ing maximum
were
in a seasonal
involved
the bison
cycle following
and the Aspen
herds between
the Plains
Parkland.
buried
their dead
the spring
They
primarily during
when
the Aspen
Parkland
and
they were
leaving
one
sheltered
site,
Only
valleys.
possibly
village
related to this complex,
a series of anticipated
has been anaylized

to date
results are presented.
but
INTRODUCTION
incised miniature vessels and
Distinctive,
have been recorded on the
burial mounds
Northeastern Plains for almost a century, yet
their cultural identity, temporal range, geo
graphical distribution, and importance have
Limited data,
proved frustratingly elusive.
on
data
contextual
earlier
finds (due to
poor
work by amateurs and dilletants), and the
absence
of even a fundamental chronology
for the Northeastern
Plains
have
been
important
contributing factors, but equally
has been
the tendency,
in the past, to
consider limited regional samples and to lack a

framework within which
to analyze
the
data.
existing
The author has been
involved in the
re-assessment
of the cultural identification
and relationships of materials
found during
mound
in
and the
Manitoba
early
explorations
Northeastern
Plains, in general, throughout
the last 100 years (Syms 1977, 1978). Among
these
items were miniature
vessels with
distinctive decorations,
tubular pipes, conch
shell gorgets, columella beads,
incised stone
tablets and a variety of associated
items found
with burials or in frequent association within a
area. As a result, a) the
limited geographical
Devils Lake-Sourisford
Burial Complex
has
been defined for the Northeastern Plains and
Parkland ecotone,
b) the
adjacent Aspen
miniature vessels have been analyzed in terms
of technology, decoration,
symbolism and
function, c) a temporal and geographical
range has been determined, d) an ecological
model
as
indicating a seasonal
deposition
sociated with climate and bison movement
accounts for the distribution of the mortuary
materials, and e) a possible ethnic identity is
proposed.
Characteristics
of The Devils Lake-Sourisford

Burial Complex
A complex of tools and traits is difficult to

attempt to define primarily upon the basis of
items found in burial contexts.
socio-religious
The items represent part of a specialized tool
kit and certain elements such as Thunderbird
and turtle designs are likelyto be found
only in
the durable ceramics and shell since the other
283
objects, such as hides, shields, and clothing,

these designs were
upon which
probably
made are highly perishable. A further compli
cation arises
in the unequal distribution of
items from mound to mound.
Despite these limitations, there are a series
of traits that have a
limited distribution
confined to an arc along the edge of the
fre
Northeastern
Plains and which
appear
quently in association.
Howard's
(1953: 137) initial effort to bring
from North
order to a variety of materials
resulted in his defining a "Southern
Dakota
cult-bearing culture of the Northern Plains"
characterized by:
. . .mound
or raising of
in mounds
burial
building,
bison hunting,
mounds
above
burials, use of copper,
use of whelk
of
shell gorgets
utilization
of molluscs,
on the backs
cult type, scratched
Southern
drawings
or beads made
from
use of pendants
of these gorgets,
the spiral axis of whelk shells, use of straight"cigar
catlinite pipes, use of incised catlinite

shaped
and/or
the use of elk antler "collars"
and
Art motifs which
incised
with
designs.
in
are: bilateral
to be characteristic
symmetry
appear
lines so
incision of certain "key"
much of the art work,
holder"
mounds.
The most notable artifacts are the
small globular miniature vessels. The incised
include abstract
life-forms such as
designs
and turtle plus broken arrows
Thunderbird
and probable geometric designs.
An analysis of these vessels must consider
the traditional research orientation of size,
form, rim decoration, and surface finish but
should also include technology, function, and
of
artistic symbolism. A detailed discussion
each vessel is beyond the scope of this paper,
an
but such
of one
recently
analysis
the Horizon Site vessel
discovered
vessel,
indi
(Fig. 1), from southern Saskatchewan
of
cates
the fruitful and exciting areas
research that can be reached. This vessel,
in terms of the degree and
while unique
is also, paradoxically,
variability indecoration
one of the most
representative specimens
it contains many of the defining
because
traits.
tablets,
"anklets"
deeply as to completely penetrate the object being
on many
"line of life" conventionalization
decorated,
use of a diamond
animal
frequent
representations,
the eye of an animal,
tiny
shaped
figure to represent
to other
in comparison
representations
legs on animal
bodies
and characteristic
rectangular
parts depicted,
on animal
representations.
This trait list is modified somewhat with the

new data and by re-assessment of older data.
The main definitive traits are the smooth-sur
faced mortuary vessels with incised designs
incised and
and distinctive
lip decoration,
marine
whelk
made
from
shell,
plain gorgets
from
the
columella
made
beads
and
pendants
or spiral axis of the marine whelk shell, tubular
Other
incised stone "tablets".
pipes, and
traits that are important, but less definitive
because
they are found associated with other
are birch bark
complexes,
archaeological
bone
the
curved
"anklets, bracelets,
baskets,
shell
collars or wrist guards", washer-shaped
shell pendants,
notched trapezoidal
beads,
copper beads and head bands, antler tine
bird-bone
handles for beaver tooth gouges,
water
shell
clam
fresh
bone
beads,
harpoosn,
or containers, and perforated small
"spoons"
marine shells. This latter list is not exhaustive
in terms of every item that has been found in a
Devils Lake-Sourisford mound, but it repre
in two or more
sents items that have appeared
The Horizon Miniature Vessel

Technology
is a small
The vessel
constricted neck (Fig. 1).
high and has a maximum
103 mm. (4.1 in.) (Table
hand-modelled
pot made
small thumb pot, i.e. a
Table
globular pot with

It is 69 mm. (2.7 in.)
shoulder width of
1). It is probably a
in the manner of a
lump of clay was
1. Traits of the Horizon Mortuary Vessel
69 mm
Height
88 mm
Oriface Diameter8
103 mm
Diameter
Maximum
9 mm
Basal Thickness
6 mm
Shoulder Thickness
5.8 mm
Lip Thickness
Fine smooth to burnished
Exterior Surface
to fine smooth
Smooth
Interior Surface
ExteriorColour
Core Colour
Interior Colour
Body Decoration
Lip Decoration
Tan (10 YR 7/8)b to black

(10 YR 2/1)
grey (2.5 YR 6/0)
(10 YR 7/6)
lizards, 2 Thunderbirds,
2 broken arrows
Charcoal
Tan
4
4 Lizard
heads, alternating
zig-zag and canalicate
incised lines
between
a. Measured
lip exteriors
based upon Munsell Soil Colour
b. Colour designations
data.
charts for standardized,
comparative
284
Fig. 1 Horizon MiniatureVessel. A) Top view, B) Side view, C) Profile D, H) Thunderbirds, F, J) Broken
Arrows, E, G, I,K) Lizards, L) Interiorview showing "troughs" caused by pinching rimto produce effigies.
285
then worked
from the base
(i.e. small longitudinal channel
canaliculate
incised
upwards, gradually being thinned and shaped
along the top of the lip) and zig-zag
until the final form was completed.
Evidence
lines were made on the lip.
fired in an oxidizing
The vessel was
for the hand modelling isbased upon: a) small
vessel size which precluded the need formore
atmosphere. All of the interior surface had
difficult techniques such as molds, b) irregular changed from charcoal grey to a light tan. On
the exterior, the surface varied from tan
wall thickness with a maximum basal thick
area of
ness of 9 mm (.36 in.) which is reduced to 6
through grey-brown to dark grey. The
area
of
the
had
mm (.24 in.) at the shoulder, and 5.8 mm (.23 maximum width
greatest
The
color
color.
darkest
change penetrated
in.) at the lip, and, c) smooth surface finish
the core of the vessel walls to varying depths;
which shows no evidence of textile surface
the basal
portions had no color change
finish, simple stamping from a paddle, nor
striations from scraping.
greater than 0.5 mm, whereas color changes
in the parts of the neck area penetrated
The paste of the vessel was not analyzed
cases
the
On
basis
of
completely through the vessel, in some
microscopically.
macroscopic
a thickness of 6 mm.
observation with a 10X hand lens, the paste
Ceramic manufacturing
among Northern
consists
of a fine clay mixed with small
was
Plains
primarily the activity of
amounts of finely crushed granite; the tiny
groups
Newman
women
1955; Grinnell
(Ewers
1945;
particles of quartz, feldspar, and mica appear
The exception to this rule
1976).2
1923;
the
of
Syms
surface
and
broken
throughout
edges
is the cylindical ritual vessels that persisted
the vessel.
The vessel is not well made. While such an
among most Northern Plains tribes into the
had been
after ceramics
largely
own
with
1800's,
evaluation
suffers from my
bias
trade kettles.
to
as
made
by
what
well
constitutes
replaced
regard
Wood
(1962: 35, citing Ewers 1939: 7)
lack the symmetry of
vessel, the pot does
there were differences in art
that
other incised vessels such as the Reston pot
suggests
the sexes of Plains tribes;
between
forms
(Braddell et al 1970). The Horizon pot is only
women
made
geometric designs
repetitive
the
is
surface
symmetrically globular,
irregular
men made
life forms. This pot
and slightly "lumpy"
rather than even, the whereas
appears to represent male artistic designs on
wall thickness
is irregular, and the incised
efforts. This combina
female technological
nor
are neither carefully laid out
designs
in a manner similar to
be achieved
tion
could
and
applied carefully
deeply.
in
which male-directed
art
Coast
Northwest
The exterior texture is finely smoothed to
to textiles woven
were
added
artistic
designs
i.e. it has a fine, clayey texture
burnished,
a case, an individual who
women.
In
such
by
"fine
texture. This
rather than a sandy
had a particular religious experience might
smooth" surface can be created by using fine
have
probably a relative,
gone to a woman,
clays or by rubbing a damp surface with wet
her make a specific vessel with the
and
had
fingers to bring the fine particles to the
designs that he had been instructed to have
surface. The surface finish on this vessel is a
his religious vision. This possibility is
the paste is during
combination of the two causes;
further supported by the later account of the
finewith relatively few natural inclusions and
Cheyenne medicinal cup.
the exterior has been rubbed sufficiently that
and the
the overall exterior is smoothed
Artistic Decoration
maximum portions of the vessel are burnished
The incised and modelled designs must be
to
reflect
readily
sufficiently
light.
in terms of form,
considered
location,
and
The
upper
pinched
portion was
and
symbolic
meaning.
portrayal,
descriptive
crimped to produce four vertical ridges that
in the
is discussed
The
latter variable
were subsequently modified to create effigies
surface of the
The
section.
is
The pinching
subsequent
of lizards or salamanders.
Horizon vessel is divided into four quadrants
that
in the pronounced
evident
"troughs"
on
neck
the
by four effigies of lizards, salamanders or mud
the
interior.
below
appear
are two
these quadrants
puppys. Within
While
the clay was still moist, designs of
two
on
and
sides
Thunderbirds
in
opposite
broken arrows and Thunderbirds were
on
arrows
sides.
On
alternate
broken
on
the sides and alternate patterns of
opposite
cised1
flattened
and
286
Fig. 2 Tracings
of Thunderbirds
on Horizon
the broken
above
the lip, the quadrants
incised zig-zag
arrows are decorated with
lines and the quadrants above the Thunder
birds are decorated with incised canaliculate
incised lines, parallel to the edges of the lip.
The incised lines are shallow and 1.5 mm
wide. The clay was quite moist when the lines
were made because
the lines are sharp with
the clay was
slightly raised edges where
of the tool,
the
movement
aside
by
pushed
or
and there is no evidence of "cracking"
ridging that sometimes occurs on semi-dry
vessels.
Only two of the four lizards or salamanders

are complete but major portions of the others
are present. Two of the animals are vertical
two others are oriented somewhat
while
obliquely. The heads consist of knobs rising
above the lip of the vessel; the only detail on
are pairs of tiny punctates
the heads
of
The
eyes.
legs consist
representing
or
feet
without
appendages
perpendicular
claws. A series of parallel lines are incised
along the backs of the animals from the base
of the head to the end of the tail and are
oriented perpendicular to the body; the only
that has a complete series has a
specimen
total of twenty-one lines. The "lizards" are
approximately 130 mm long. They have long
necks and short tails. The tails are 22.0, 13.8,
and 11.8 mm long. The limbs are approxi
mately 14 mm long.
are basically the
The two Thunderbirds
Miniature
vessel.
in style (Fig. 2). Both are angular,

geometric forms with a stylized head curved
to the left (as one faces the Thunderbird).
There are differences in size, and only one
specimen has legs.The topic of style warrants
considerable discussion since itcan reflect a
real and cultural differences and because
there is a need to be sensitive to degrees of
versus
between
cultural
variation within
identities.
The "stiffness" created by the angularity
of the forms is a characteristic of traditional
Plains Indian art and of this burial complex
1953). The Horizon
(Wood
1962; Howard
Thunderbirds are essentially identical to those
vessel which
on the Reston,
Manitoba
(Fig. 3,
belongs to the same burial complex
A). The only differences are the directional
collar
orientation of the head, the V-shaped
and the lack of
on the Horizon vessel,
of the body on the Horizon
convergence
same
vessel.
the nature of this

In order to appreciate
distinctive style, it is necessary to compare
these representations with other Thunder
birds found on ceramics and other media on
the Plains and nearby areas (Fig. 3).
are
"nature
Thunderbirds
important
for many tribes throughout North
deities"
America and they appear in many forms in
in both prehistoric and
several artistic media
such as on picto
contexts
ethnohistoric
on
incised
shell, painted and beaded
graphs,
287
on hides, and hammered on thin sheets of

in varying degrees of
copper. They appear
abstraction
from realistic portrayals
from
which the species of bird can be identified to a
simple set of lines that are highly abstract.
on the Mississippian
The "Thunderbirds"
vessel from the Bryan Site
(Link 1976) in
are more detailed than
southern Minnesota
the Plains examples (Fig. 3, B, C). The Bryan
vessel, from a northern Mississippian
center,
portrays many striking similarities (in sim
plified, stylized form) to specimens from major
Mississippian centres farther south, i.e. Fig. 3,
B and K share a pronounced beak, three wing
in a vertical orientation, chest area
designs
filled with circles, three bands
in the tail
apron, and a pronounced circle at the base of
the body.
In contrast,
the Thunderbirds
which
in the
appear
infrequently as pictographs
Boreal Forest of western and northern Ontario
(Dewdney and Kidd 1962) (Fig. 3, D-1) are the
simplest abstractions which have a line for the
wings and tail, lack the V-shaped collar piece,
and have a more "fluid" wing form which is
curved
downward
(often quite
generally
the distribution of these
sharply). Given
in Algonquian
country and the
pictographs
the
between
similarity
pictographs and draw
on
Mide
the
scrolls of the
religious
ings
it is likely that all or most of these
Ojibwa,
Boreal Forest Thunderbirds in the pictographs
are Algonquian.
these
The stylistic differences between
Algonquian Thunderbirds and the specimens
can not be attributed to
on the vessels
?
limitations of the two media
incisings on
vessels versus paintings on rocks. Both media
to the different styles
are equally conducive
that are represented.
These pictographs do appear on the Plains
but are even less frequent, i.e. one has been
reported from Pictograph Cave
(Fig. 3 J),
one
from
Painted
and
Canyon,
Wyoming
Alberta (Habgood
1967). The specimen from
1967: Fig. 33 A)
Pictograph Cave (Habgood
the general shape of the Ontario
shares
but it is more similar to the
pictographs
historicBlackfoot tipipainting (Fig. 3 N) in
terms of feather detail.

The most elaborate bird representations
were
made
by prehistoric Mississippian
populations which incised birds on sea shells
and hammered designs on thin, hammered
Fig. 3 A Sample of Bird Designs fromPrehistoricand

Historic Contexts (not to scale). A) Thunderbird on
Reston pot (Manitoba), B) Incised birds on Mississip
pian pot, Bryan Site, Minnesota, D-l) Thunderbird
pictographs from the Boreal Forest of Ontario, J)
pictograph fromfromPictograph Cave, Wyoming, K)
Mississippian Falcon on copper, Illinois,L-M) shield
designs from historic Sioux drawings, N) design of
Blackfoot tipi, O) Thunderbird design on a Sioux
shield
(wavy
lines above
fromthe deity).
wind
is "power"
emanating
sheets of copper. A variety of birds and

i.e. human figures in bird cos
"birdmen"
tumes was made. Mississippian
art is often
very detailed (Howard 1968) (Fig. 3 K), and is
often sufficiently realistic that the species of
falcon can be identified. Falcons were drawn,
rather than eagles, and historic tribes in the
American
Southeast
to prefer
continued
falcon feathers to eagle
feathers (Howard
1968).
to be found on
Thunderbirds
continue
Native
items to the present. They were
in the early
important items on shields
Twentieth Century (Fig. 3 L-O). Figures L-M
drawn on shields
represent Thunderbirds
carried by mounted warriors in pictures drawn
by the Sioux artist, Red Dog, in the late 1800's
(Barbeau 1960:124,125).
Figure N was drawn
on the upper portion of a Blackfoot tipi in the
288
early Twentieth Century (Glubok 1975: 9); the

On the whole,
the decorated
items were
curvature of the wings is due to the curvature
not particularly carefully executed. As with
of the tent surface. Figure 0 represents a
the vessel shape, symmetry was not particu
scene from the dance shield of the famous
larlybalanced. However, the symbolic import
ance of these designs may have been much
Sioux, Short Bull (Glubok 1975: 29).
All of the ethnographic
Thunderbird
more important than the actual production of
the symbols.
representations are front-view profiles of the
deity with wings extended. Details on wing
decoration and presence of legs varies, even
Artistic Symbolism
in the work of one artist.
to appreciate
In order
the symbolic
These
from the
ethnographic
examples
importance of these designs, it is necessary to
and
Sioux
Blackfoot
show
considerable
consider
of
briefly certain characteristics
which
is probably
due
to
Native North American
homogeneity
religion. First, a
extensive
inter-tribal contact
the
concern
for supernaturalism
and
during
religious
historic period. A detailed study of tribal and
influence permeated
all aspects
of Indian
and
temporal variation is needed to determine if social
economic
life (Lowie
1954:
this artistic homogeneity
is mainly due to
168-170). Religion profoundly affected daily
recent historic contacts or whether
it repre
lifeof all individuals.
sents a long tradition of contact diffusion of
Secondly, therewere numerous spirits and
form from tribe to tribe on the Plains.
deities as well as an impersonal spiritual force
The prehistoric samples
from pottery,
that pervaded all living, and some non-living,
copper sheets, and pictographs show much
there were
supreme deities,
things. Thus,
creator deities,
lesser deities, spirits, and
greater variation in style. There appear to be
no limitations across the range of materials
ghosts with which to contend. Also anything
account
that would
for the
or unusual was
which was
being used
unexplainable
differences.
attributed to supernatural forces and had to
are
The Devils
Lake-Sourisford
vessels
or controlled.
be appeased
more
similar to the Plains
were
Thunderbirds
nature
ethnographic
important
in terms of degree of abstractness
deities that were recognized by almost every
specimens
than they are to the detailed Mississippian
tribe. Thunderbirds caused storms; their eyes
representations or the simple line drawings of
produced
lightning and the flapping of their
of the Boreal Forest pictographs.
thunder. Thunderbirds
caused
often
wings
The other design on the Horizon vessel,
some
befriended
fear but also
brought
the
lacks
the broken arrows,
individuals and became their guardian spirits.
(Fig. 4)
the
On the Plains, they were often recognized as
comparative materials. These emphasize
enlarged fletchings and the broken shaft; the
being eagles or eagle-like but larger, and they
twice the
fletched portion is approximately
were portrayed inother media such as painted
hides in a similar front profile to that on the
length of the shaft between the fletching and
the base of the triangular point.
vessel.
Fig.
4 Tracings
of
Broken
Arrows
on
the
Horizon
Miniature
Vessel.
289
the Cheyenne,
shields
with
Among
Thunderbirds on them gave the "owner the
courage and swiftness of the eagle and the
power of the Thunder Bird" (Grinnell 1923 [1]:
the Cheyenne
believed
that
195). Also,
Thunderbird provided the knowledge to make
arrows and was also responsible for bringing
in the spring (Grinnell
warmth and showers
^^
^^^^^^^
1923 [11]:95-96).
Lizards and similar forms were

important
among some Plains tribes. Since all animals,
likeman, had a soui, the carrying of effigy
amulets or praying to certain animals provided
individuals with the spiritual and physical
powers of that animal and their presence on
the vessels
undoubtedly
provided spiritual
power to the owners. Among the Cheyenne,
for example, lizardswere believed to provide a
person with the additional alertness and speed
of movement that is associated with the lizard
(Grinnell1923 [1]: 223, 334; [11]: 110-111).
must
remember that spiritual forces

all
lifeand linkedman with spiritual
permeated
lifeof plants and animals!
I have found no reference to date for the
symbolic importance of the broken arrows.
for the
The only reference that I have
is that one of the bands of the
expression
western, nomadic Teton Sioux was called the
"Broken Arrow" band
(Hassrick 1964: 10,
that the broken arrows
It is possible
347).
represent a "band
insignia", but I am more
inclined to think that it has some religious
One
importance.
This section gives some indication of the

importance of the symbols found on the
Horizon vessel, although it does not attempt
an exhaustive
list of beliefs
to provide
with the symbols. Thunderbirds
associated
and lizards were very important to several
in the struggles of these
Plains groups
the forces
individuals to master or appease
with which they had to contend.
Miniature Vessels
inGeneral
Iam aware of only 20 vessels that

reported from North Dakota,
and Saskatchewan.
Manitoba,
Fragments of
a second vessel with incised Thunderbird and
broken arrow was found at the Reston Site,
Southwestern Manitoba
(Braddell et al 1970).
Also, vessels with four turtles (Fig. 5A) have
been found with the intrusive burial inMoose
To date,
have been
^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^
Fig. 5 Artistic Sketches of Devils Lake-Sourisford
Burial
Miniature
Vessels.
A) Turtle-incised,
Complex
Moose
B) Spiral-incised,
Sask.,
Bay,
Sourisford,
C)
Man.,
D-E)
Spiral-incised,
Sourisford,
Man.,
Devils
North
F-G)
Spiral-incised,
Lake,
Dakota,
H) Incised, Devils
Incised, Devils Lake, North Dakota,
Cowens
I) Spiral-incised,
Lake, North Dakota,
Beach,
Sask.,
J) Zig-zag
incised,
St. Victor,
Sask.
(Hanna 1976) and in one or more

Bay Mound
mounds
from the Sourisford
Locality of
Southwestern
Manitoba
1963). The
(Capes
most common design, however,
is a single
spiral design from the base to the rim (Fig. 5,
e, I); these are found on at least 12 of the 20
vessels forwhich there are adequate
illustra
tions and descriptions
(Thomas 1894; Wett
laufer 1950; Bryce 1887, 1904;
Montgomery
1906, 1908, 1910;Howard 1953;Capes 1963).
Other patterns include: a) combination

of
horizontal and vertical lines (Fig. 5, F-H)
which have been found in both the Devils
Lake and Sourisford localities; b) one to three
zig-zag lines around the rim (Fig. 5, J), e.g.
Cavers mound specimen north of Rock Lake
of the Pembina River Valley; and c) one with
only a series of punctates along the lip (Capes
1963: PI. IX, XIX).
The lipdecoration, however, ismuch more
consistent than the body designs. The lip is
generally divided into four quadrants by tabs
(Fig. 6, B, C, E-F). These tabs may have a
punctate, hole, or two or three incised lines.
290
The Reston vessel and most of the incised

vessels have this pattern; the lizard's heads on
the Horizon vessel serve the same purpose.
The lip quadrants are then decorated with
alternating canaliculate and zig-zag lines (Fig.
1, 5 B, C, F, H).
The surface finish is smooth on all but two
data.
vessels for which there are adequate
textile
These surfaces are not smoothed-over
impressions but are carefully smoothed and
sometimes exhibiting burnishing.
Function of the Vessels
has been
term, mortuary vessel,
applied frequently to these small pots but it
connotations.
The
has some questionable
term, mortuary vessel,
implies a vessel that
after death such as for a
served the deceased
to
hold
nourishment
container
during the
afterlife.
Iquestion this purpose because the vessels
are small, heavily decorated with symbolic
rare. To provide
them as
and
designs,
the
of small
selection
requires
receptacles
vessels over large vessels, manufacturing the
item (which would probably take several days)
interment of the
the death and
between
and
individual,
selectively
providing only
for the
certain individuals with sustenance
afterlife.
A more likelyalternative is that these pots
represent special containers for individuals
who
underwent particular religious experi
ences
during their lifetime. In order to
the importance of such special
appreciate
the following account
of the
containers,
noted Cheyenne doctor, Red Eagle, provides
useful insights:
. . . The
head
patient took a sip from the cup

of each animal,
in the same order
opposite
inwhich
the
the
medicine was put in. (Grinnell1923 [11]: 134-135).
This ethnohistorical account demonstrates

that certain individuals utilized small unusual
vessels for specific tasks such as curing, that
figures of certain animal forms were added to
the vessel because of the spiritual assistance
that they could provide, and that these
vessels were
from generation
to
passed
as
Iam inclined
heirlooms.
generation
spiritual
to interpret these miniature containers
as
vessels manufactured or received for specific
activities of individuals during their lifetime.
The
Whelk
Shell Artifacts
Whelk shell gorgets are the second most

items (Fig. 6). These are ovoid to
conspicuous
sections of the outer whorl of
pear-shaped
large marine snails from the South Atlantic
and Gulf Coast of the United States. These
whelks have been identified as either Fulgar
perversum (Montgomery 1906; Howard 1953,
1956) or Busy con (Montgomery 1906; Capes
of these large shells were
1963). Segments
^
^^^^^^
^^^^^^^
iiiiiiiiiip
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
His drinkingvessel could be

only ofwood, horn,
shell,
or pottery, not of metal.
This
instruction was
given
him in a dream.
He owned
a shallow wooden
cup or
small bowl about eight inches indiameterwith

five
incised
pierced
figures of water
near the
margin
on the inside, and

animals
for attachment
of a string.
It
was made long ago by hismother's

mother, forRed
^
^
^% ''*
^ ^^^^^^
and was
Eagle's
uncle,
to Red
finally given
Eagle.
Such
cups were
formerly carried on war journeys
for
use as
but
of
late years this one had
drinking vessels,
been used by Red Eagle in

administeringmedicine to
the sick.
The figures cut in the cup are those of

water
because
animals,
the cup was
intended to be used for
fluids, and water
animals
have much
as to
power
water.
The figures are
frog, fish, turtle, otter, and, on
the bottom,
a siredon
or
When
the
mud-puppy.
doctor putmedicine inthe cup, he

dropped it inover
one
each
of the four animals,
in the four directions.
'^
^
m
Fig. 6 Shell Gorgets of the Devils Lake-Sourisford

Burial Complex A, B) Calf Mountain,
Manitoba, C-F)
Heimdal Mound,
North Dakota,
G-J) Bentz gorgets,
North Dakota,
K-L) Doerr gorget, North Dakota,
M)
Manitoba.
Sourisford,
291
gorgets with the Missis

motif (6, A, C), into a
sippian "weeping-eye"
simplified mask having only the eyes, nose,
and mouth
(Fig. 6, E, G, I), or into simple
ovoid gorgets with holes for chords or thongs
made
intomask-like
(Fig. 6, M).
The "weeping eye" motif was
found at
Calf Mountain Mound, Manitoba and Heimdal
Mound of North Dakota. The simplified masks
have been found in both the Devils Lake and
localities as well as the Lone
Sourisford
on the Assiniboine
River
Mound
(Mont
1963).
gomery 1906; Howard 1953; Capes
One unusual gorget was made from turtle
plastron and has a snake incised on one side
(Fig. 6, K-L). The triskelon or three-limbed
design and rattle snake are Southern Cult
motifs.
Many of these gorgets also have angular
figures
figures incised on the back. These
include an unknown creature (Fig. 6 B), elk
(Fig. 7, F), a possible
(Fig. 6, D), swallows
bear and a possible horse (Fig. 6, J). The
"horse" appears on the Bentz gorget which
was
found eroding from the bank of Long
Lake Creek in North Dakota
(Howard 1953).
Howard
(1953: 137) is of the opinion that is
incised representation of the horse was made
when
the gorget was made
by an early
too similar in
itwas
historic artist because
on other
style to the art-form expressed
gorgets, i.e. itwas an outline, angular figure
with stick-figure legs, and because
gorgets
persisted into the historic period among both
Northern and Central Plains groups (Howard
1953, 1956).
These
important among
gorgets were
peoples
throughout
prehistoric Mississippian
United States
much
of the southeastern
(Willey 1966), and they persisted among the
Indians in religious war bundles and
Kansa
ceremonies as late as 1883 (Howard 1956). At
involved the
least some of these ceremonies
Thunderbirds who were war gods;3 therefore,
with miniature vessels
association
having
Thunderbirds
is not unexpected.
A common trait is the pendant or bead
made from the spiralling columella from the
centre of the same whelk shells that were
used for making the gorgets (Fig. 7, A-D).
The long forms are much rarer and are more
often grooved pendants. They are reported
on the Assiniboine
from the Lone Mound
1963:
River, (Capes
133), the Heimdal Mound
^V*.
V^F
'BIB
Shell and Bone Artifacts Associated

Fig. 7 Assorted
Burial Complex.
Lake-Sourisford
A-D)
with ihe Devils
beads,
whelk
columella
E-F) washer-shaped
beads,
G-H) bird bone beads,
I) notched shell pendant, J)
drilled marine
shells, K-M) tubular pipes, N) antler tine
incisor
for beaver
knife handle, 0) antler tine handle
two sides
bone "bracelet",
Q-R)
P) perforated
gouge,
of incised catlinite tablet, S)

shell.
incised bison design on
River (Howard
1953:
along the Sheyenne
Site in Saskatche
135), and the Woodlawn
wan.
The smaller tubular beads made

from
short, drilled sections of these columella are
more common,
being found in the West
bourne Mound
1908), Lone
(Montgomery
Mound
and
in
1963) in Manitoba
(Capes
mounds
in Ramsey County, North Dakota
beads are less
1906). These
(Montgomery
since they are found in other
diagnostic
archaeological
complexes such as the Arvilla
Burial Complex
(Johnson 1973).
Other Shell Artifacts
shell beads
The washer-shaped
(Fig. 7,
E-F) are found in small quantities. They are
reported from Sims, Calf, and Star mounds of
the Pembina Valley
1963), West
(Capes
bourne Mound
1910), and
(Montgomery
Mound
1,Washington
County, North Dakota
(Montgomery 1906).
The trapezoidal pendants (Fig. 7, I) are also
292
rare. They were found in the Westbourne,

inWestern
Sykes, McKay and Sims mounds
Manitoba
1908; Capes
1963;
(Montgomery
Syms 1978). One specimen was found in the
mound fillof the St. James Mound near the
Red River valley (Nash 1974); the central post
of the latter had a radiocarbon date of A.D.
1730 + 904 (I-4684) but there is no contextual
substantiation that this pendant was left in the
mound rather than being scooped up with the
surrounding soil for fill.
The trapezoidal pendants are made from
shell and have notches on one end to tie
cordage around them. On the base of the
opposite end are 3, and occasionally 4, small
notches.
from bird bone fragments

Beads made
occur (Fig. 7 G-H). Rarely there are perforated
marine shell beads
(Fig. 7, J) identified by
various authors as Natica, Oliva or Olivella and
Dentallium have been found (Syms 1978).
Diagnostic
Lithic Items
(Isinger 1971) also probably

Bjorkdale
belong to the same burial complex. Not only
are they obviously similar, particularly the St.
Brieux and North Dakota
specimens with
same motifs, but they share stylistic sim
ilaritieswith the shell engravings
(Fig. 7, R,
S), and they have a similar distribution to the
other traits of the burial complex.
and
Other
Items
is rare. Bryce (1904) reported a

Copper
burial with copper bands around a human
skull from the Sourisford Locality. Several
mounds from North Dakota contained copper
beads (Montgomery 1906) and the Moose Bay
Burial had skeletal material with copper stains
(Hanna 1976). The Horizon cairn contained
one copper pendant which may have been in
association.
Copper items are primarily orna
a copper
celt from Star Mound
mental;
(Capes 1963) is the only utilitarian item.
Beaver-tooth
gouge handles have been
found in several sites. These are generally
made from deer antler tines and have a small
hole inwhich a beaver-incisor iswedged
(Fig.
7, 0). They are sometimes carved to produce
hand grips and decorative patterns (Fig. 7, N).
in
They have been recovered from mounds
North Dakota and one was found with the pot
from Silton, Saskatchewan
(Wettlaufer 1951).
items do not comprise
an
The above
exhaustive
list of everything that has been
found. They do represent the items that have
been found most frequently, albeit intermit
tently, as probable diagnostic traits.
tubular pipes
The "cigar holder-shaped"
have been found frequently (Fig. 7, K, L, M).
They occurred in several of the North Dakota
(1904),
excavated
mounds
by Montgomery
mounds at Sourisford (Montgomery 1908), as
well as the Halbrite Mound
(Montgomery
1908), St. Victor burial (Wettlaufer 1951), and
Moose Bay Mound (Hanna 1976) inSaskatch
ewan. These pipes are generally made from
catlinite with lesser numbers of steatite, and
have been carefully hallowed to produce thin
walls. At least three examples show evidence
Sources of Raw Material
of burning at one end.
Stone tablets have been found ina mound
The known tools and traits are functionally
inRamsey County, North Dakota (Fig. 7, Q-R)
and present a high proportion of
specialized
in the Pembina
Mound
and the McLaren
materials.
non-local
The sources, and their
the
Valley (Vickers 1945). The specimen from
of these materials must
be
implications,
with
circular
was
McLaren Mound
roughly
considered.
The two main categories
are
four sets of 3 incised lines.
However,
whelk shells from the Atlantic and Gulf Coast
the more common forms had incised figures
area and the catlinite from Minnesota.
Other
such as the specimen from the North Dakota
are the Dentallium beads from the
categories
mound with a female bison on one side and a
West Coast and copper from Lake Superior.
beaver on the other side.
The whelk
shell for the mask/gorgets,
a
Mound
The McLaren
also produced
and beads had to have been traded
pendants,
catlinite miniature replica of a grooved axe.
network. There are
through the Mississippian
The
of incised
Saskatchewan
specimens
at least two possible
routes: a) up the
tablets
from St.
Little Moose,
Brieux,
River to its headwaters
in Min
Mississippi
Hendon, Bremen, Edgeley, Wawota,
Oxbow,
nesota and westward
to the Plains, or b) up
293
River and across

to the
the Mississippi
Missouri villages. The latter seems more likely
since Lehmer
(1971: 95, Fig. 68)
reports
artifacts from Initial and some
Busycon
sites and since
Extended Middle Missouri
indicate contact with potters from
ceramics
Initial and Extended Middle Missouri sites.
comes
from the West
The Dentalium
in the vicinity of Vancouver
Island. A
Coast
to the
similar
route
be
would
trade
possible
route
the
historic
Dalles,
through
early
Rendezvous
of the foot
Plateau, Shoshone
hills, and the Missouri villages (Ewers 1968;
Wood
1972).
Most of the catlinite probably comes from
Minnesota.
of southeastern
the quarries
(1976: 34) using Sigstad's
However, Hanna
(1970) test for catlinite found that the Moose
Bay Mound
pipestone materials did not fall
within the catlinite range. Further analysis is
required on the earlier specimens to determine
what percentage are true catlinite. Neverthe
less, the pipestone probably has origins to the
East.
Likewise the copper has eastern origins, on

and near the north shore of Lake Superior.
is conducted,
Until trace element analysis
exact locations can not be ascertained.
The degree of trade that took place in the
prehistoric and early historic periods has rarely
-consideration.
Since
been given adequate
from the West
materials
Coast, Southeast
Coast and Great Lakes are available to local
had to be
local Natives
residents these
The
various
with
develop
groups.
interacting
ment of interaction required groups to travel
into and across the territories of others and to
meet at multi-ethnic rendezvous.
Geographic
Distribution and Its Implication
The materials used indelineating the Devils

Burial Complex are associ
Lake-Sourisford
these
ated with burial activities. However,
burial activities form part of a much larger set
of activities making up the adaptation to the
Plains as a whole. Therefore, we can relate
the distribution to the variables of climate and
resource
fluctuation.
The Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex

is confined
primarily to an arc on the
Northeast Plains between the Aspen Parkland
and the Missouri Coteau
(Fig. 8). The lower
Red River mounds
(#10) and the mounds
along and near the Pembina River Valley (#11,

12, 13) lie within the southern edge of the
Aspen Parkland.
The greatest concentration of sites occurs
in the region of Devils Lake, North Dakota
(#14, 15) and in the Sourisford Locality of
Southwestern Manitoba
(#7). Recent surveys
have resulted in the identification of over 200
in southern
probable and possible mounds
Manitoba, of which at least 69 of the definite
and 70 of the possible mounds are located in
the Sourisford
Locality (Nash 1974; Syms
in
cluster of mounds
1971, 1978). This
Sourisford Locality is inmarked contrast to
the absence or near absence of mounds on
in North Dakota
the Souris
(Mouse)
Loop
1978: personal communica
(Fred Schneider
tion), and it is likely that many of these
mounds are part of the Devils Lake-Sourisford
in southern
Burial Complex. Many mounds
and most of
have been opened
Manitoba
these were "looted"
by dilletantes such as
Bryce and Montgomery or by local farmers;
therefore it is impossible to state which
mounds belong specifically to the complex in
However, along the lower Antler
question.
River, at least 8 mortuary vessels have been
found (Bryce 1887: 11, Capes 1963: 80).
In the Devils Lake Locality, most of the
excavations.
findswere due to Montgomery's
He dug several mounds
(Montgomery 1906);
of mounds
dozens
there were
however,
known to have been there during early periods
of historic settlement.
There are also several sites along and near
the Pembina River Valley in southern Mani
toba (#11, 12, 13) although not all of the 36
can be identified with the burial
mounds
(Vickers 1945, 1948; Montgomery
complex
isolated finds are recorded
1910). Scattered,
rivers and
and James
on the Sheyenne
in North
River
Missouri
the
of
tributaries
finds are also recorded
Scattered
Dakota.
River in Southern
the Assiniboine
along
and throughout parts of southern
Manitoba
Saskatchewan,
particularly the south central
and southeastern portions.

The distribution of sites has important
the
significance for predicting the lifestyle of
these
Since
the
materials.
Natives who made
sites occur primarily on the Northeastern
in the
Plains with only scattered examples
Parkland, we can predict that the
Aspen
Natives responsible for them were primarily
294
\VAVAV^VO-*v
^K^H^Sf^kfî^^^
DISTRIBUTION
OF THE
BURIAL COMPLEX
LAKE-SOURISFORD
DEVILS
'
* * DISTRIBUTION
^
OFASPEN
PARKLAND
/
\?
\ 1
'
'
^Sl^S
\ ^\
COTEAU
\
2 V\V i
?ILL
- MISSOURI
OF BURIAL
COMPLEX^
-?''
f \ \
V"
9 DISTRIBUTION
ORCLUSTER
LOCALITY
OFMOUNDS
?\\?
v
SITE,
T* \ 9
^
I
f
I
v
1.HORIZONSITE
. \
-XV
\1 \
y\\ IIT
^
2. ST.VICTOR
LOCALITY
i
V_ */
"^-^
(K 4VlWI
3. COWENS
_
REACH
CAIRNN.
X\ ^ -'/ /
/
\JLT
.?
I-*4. MOOSE
?a*>-^7
BAY
MOUND |
jV5. HALBRITE
MOUNDT) *V
6. KYLE
_ / "V LOCALITYj f1
\ oJ/V
" ^
7. SOURISFORD
LOCALITY
'
>JL^ q
V
''
8. RESTON
BURIAL
X
Jj\
9. LONE
MOUND\
^
1
^
'
'
v
.
LAKE
LOCALITY
\
*"-10.PELICAN
JJ
^,
-.
11.ROCK
V\ -? '
LAKE
LOCALITY
?
j M
1
, _~\.
12.STAR
ANDSIMS
MOUNDS
^-n. \
? v?ilf
13.CALF
MOUNTAIN
MOUND
_
N.
i
I^X
\
f^m^C
14.LOWER
RED
RIVER
REGION. 'ÂV'\
X
15.WESTBOURNE
MOUND
'
-f
14.ARDEN
LOCALITY \ Ijk )
V.
^^4^^^ /
1
./-^^îftk.
1
17.WOODLAWN
SITE
,
18.DEVILS
LAKE
NORTH
LOCALITY
i' V I
^
19.DEVILS
LAKE
SOUTH
LOCALITY\/
(
\ \\
20.HEIMDAL
MOUND , /) \ \_ > '
RIVER
21. FOREST
MOUNDS
I /' 1-_-"Hi
/- V \ /_
22. BENTZ
LAKE
SITE
(LONG
CREEK)
1>\\/1 y-~r
23.DOERS
GORGET
(SHELL
BUTTE)
'
/ / N~* I C.
r
24.MONTPELIER
/ \^ \ \v
MOUND ~s
v-S
)
ENCAMPMENTS
_
Nib. S /
'
1'
/
25.HENDRICKSON
III
\\(
1
24. FELAND
SITE
^
-*f*>^^
^
_ ^\
J
Fig. 8 Distributionof the Devils Lake-SourisfordBurial Complex

Missouri
bison
in Relation to the Aspen
"^"î
a
( ^4
\ A
'fÂ
A At
J
\A A
Ik% AAA
* Al
S.C. 1978
Parkland and
Coteau.
hunters since
bison
the
provided
important resource on the Plains (Lowie 1953)
and the bison motif appears on tablets and
shell gorgets from the mounds.
If these hunters relied primarily upon
bison, we can relate the distribution of sites to
the seasonal movement
of the bison. The
bison followed a fairly regular seasonal
round
of grazing on the grasslands
in the summer
and wintering
in the sheltered
valleys,
uplands, and Aspen Parkland in the winter
1858 account
(Arthur 1975: 53-60). Hind's
a
account.
very illuminating
provides
ranges of the buffalo

with
prairies are still maintained
if the plains have
old hunters,
'The
in the north-western
and
great exactness,
not been
burnt, can
herdswill be found
generallytellthe direction inwhich
.
.
at certain
seasons
of the year
Red
River
hunters
of the
recognize two grand divisions of buffalo, those
Grand Coteau and Red River, and those of the
Saskatchewan.
. . . The
North-western
buffalo
Red
ranges are as follow.The bands belonging to the
River Range winter on the Little Souris, and
and
towards
south-easterly
thence on to Red River and
beyond Devil's
the Shayenne.
Lake,
Here,
and
too,
then lies
they are found in the spring. Their course
west
month
de Missouri,
the Grand Coteau
towards
of June, when
they turn north, and
until the
revisit the
LittleSouris from thewest, winding round thewest
295
to Devil's
flank of Turtle Mountain
Lake, and by the
In the
river (Red River), to the Shayenne
main
again.
of many Red River hunters,
the buffalo were
memory
as
to visit the prairies of the Assiniboine
accustomed
where
far north as Lake Manitobah,
in fact their skulls
are now to be seen;
and bones
their skulls are also
seen on the east
but
Minnesota,
met with. A few
pass on the east
side of the Red River of the north, in

the living animal
is very rarely to be
to
accustomed
years ago they were
side of Turtle Mountain
through the
Blue Hills of the Souris, but of late years their
have ceased;
in this direction
experience
wanderings
them that their enemies,
the half-breeds,
teaching
near
too
in that
have
their haunts
approached
. . .
direction
the south
herds winter between
The great western
south of
and north branches
of the Saskatchewan,
the Touchwood
Hills, and beyond the north
Saskatchewan in the valley of the Athabaska; they
cross
the South
Branch
in June
and
July,
visit
prairies on the south side of the Touchwood

range,
and
cross
the Qu'appelle
valley
the
Hill
anywhere
between the Elbow of the South Branch and a few

miles west of Fort Elliceon theAssiniboine. They then
and their
de Missouri,
Coteau
strike for the Grand
the Red River herds
eastern
flank often approaches
then
north from the Grand
Coteau.
They
coming
and
across
the Missouri
Stone,
up the Yellow
proceed
as winter
return to the Saskatchewan
and Athabaska
by the flanks of the Rocky Mountains.

approaches,
to the western
saw many
small herds, belonging
We
in
cross
and proceed
the Qu'appelle
bands,
valley,
single filetowards theGrand Coteau inJuly 1858. The
to find on the
bands, which we had expected
on the main
river (Red River is so
Little Souris, were
in this quarter).
termed by the half-breeds
hunting
eastern
They had proceeded early thither,far to the south of
of the devastating
their usual
track, in consequence
the Rocky
from
the
fires which
swept
plains
of 1857. We
to Red River in the autumn
Mountains
Fort
met bulls all moving
south, when
approaching
near
from their winter quarters
Ellice; they had come
a general
rule the
Hill range. As
the Touchwood
of buffalo go north during the
bands
Saskatchewan
Little
The
the summer.
and south
autumn,
during
in summer
and main river bands, go north-west
Souris
to
needless
in autumn.
It is almost
and south-east
remark
that fires interfere with this systematic

again
but there are no other
impediments which
but there are no other
the buffalo migration,
migration,
will divert
impedimentswhich will divert the buffalo from their
state
that no slaughter
half-breeds
The
by
can turn large herds
large parties of hunters or Indians
on
direction
from the general
they have taken when
them
of food is alone able to make
the march; want
(Hind 1860,
from the course
deviate
they have taken."
course.
reprinted1971; 107-108, emphasis mine).
are plotted (Fig.

these movements
When
9), the distribution of the major herds show a
zone pattern. The
cyclical, multi-vegetation
tre
movements
of these herds produced
mendous
fluctuations
in the resource po
tential of the various zones.
For the eastern Red River herd, the pattern
of movement
was
cyclical and
relatively
consistent. The bison wintered
in the Aspen
Parkland, the sheltered uplands such as Turtle
Mountain, and the sheltered rivervalleys such
as the Souris, Assiniboine,
Upper Red, and
Sheyenne
(Syms 1976). In the spring, the
animals gradually moved out of the sheltered
areas towards the Prairies east of the Missouri
Coteau where they spent the summer. In the
included the Sourisford
fall, their migration
locality of southwestern Manitoba.
For the early historic period, some groups
of the Assiniboin
Indians were travelling the
same cyclical round following the bison herd
ease with which
such
(Ray 1974). The
intensive resources such as bison herds could
be exploited far out-weighed
the inconven
ience of the necessary mobility. For the
the resources were so productive
Assiniboins,
that they regularly accumulated
a surplus of
bison meat and hides to take to the sedentary
Missouri River tribes to trade.
A second variable is the seasonal
limits for
It is likely that any
producing burial mounds.
burial mounds were made during the period
from late spring to early autumn when the
not frozen. For Southwestern
ground was
Manitoba this period lasts from late April-early
May until late September.
When
the distribution of mounds
and
other finds of the Devils
Lake-Sourisford
Burial Complex are compared with the bison
there is a very strong correlation
movements,
con
(compare
Figs. 8, 9). The greatest
centration of sites occur in the Sourisford and
Devil's
Lake regions which were primarily
areas where spring and autumn migrations
took place between the Prairies and sheltered
since
Furthermore,
wintering
grounds.
mounds are likely to have been built after the
frost has left the ground, the clustering of
sites along the edge of the Aspen Parkland
where
have been
the bison herds would
located in the spring migration towards more
open grazing country, is also consistent. The
spring season would have enabled the people
the burial of the dead
to have witnessed
accumulated during the winter months as the
people and the bison were leaving the Aspen
Parkland and entering the Prairies.
round of the bison, the
Given the seasonal
of the Missouri
few sites near and west
Coteau would
represent activities during the
summer, e.g. the Horizon and St. Victor sites
296
^^wSw^^^^^^^^^
#2$4&/&2f*^
'"-
^'^^P^CT^^
BISON
ASPEN PARKLAND ECOTONE

^ n
^? I_u5?)<
RANGES OF BISON
//WINTERING
'
SEASONAL MIGRATIONS OF BISON
,
^?
COTEAU
UJ MISSOURI
H9Y.înd).80"3'
I *e**OHALMOVEMENT
/\
"
?
'
rjj
\
'"*^^^^^^^^
^-O^
\W
DiStributi0nof Bison inRela*?n to the

Aspen Parkland and Missouri Coteau
in Saskatchewan
and the Bentz and Doer
materials inNorth Dakota. Other sites such as
Halbrite, Silton and Montpelier may represent
late spring or early autumn transitional sites.
Cultural Affiliations
must be considered
in light of the nearby
Arvilla Complex
of Minnesota
(Johnson
1973), the Initialand Extended Middle Missouri
River Valley
of the Missouri
Traditions
(Lehmer 1954, 1971), and the Mississippian
in general. The comparisons
developments
are both frustrating and provocative.
(Based on

shares with Arvilla Complex such traits as the
short columella beads, Natica
shell beads,
Dentalium
beads
(at the Arvilla type site),
shell beads,
notched trape
washer-shaped
zoidal shell beads,
bone bracelets,
bone
beads, and small globular vessels
(Johnson
1973). Despite this considerable
listof shared
traits, there are numerous and very significant
differences; the Arvilla Complex burials had a
much
lower frequency of mortuary vessels
and all 4 vessels were distinctly different late
Middle Woodland
and Late Woodland
vessels
with fabric surface finish, and cord-wrapped
rod or multi-punctate
stamped decoration.
297
Other differences of the Arvilla Burial Com

plex were the numerous examples of antler
tines for beaver incisor gouges, copper awls
and ornaments,
canid
barbed
harpoons,
and
distinctive
canines,
very
clay pipes with
elbows
and
short,
tapered stems,
right-angle
absence
of incised stone tablets, and the
or
of only small shell pendants
presence
or
made
clams
small
from
local
gorgets
Arvilla
shell. These
fragments of exotic
to the large
gorgets bear no resemblance
Gulf-Coast
with
shell mask-gorgets
and
without
the weeping-eye
motif that are
characteristic of the Devils Lake-Sourisford
Burial Complex.
The two burial complexes were obviously
involved in the same or similar trade networks
that provided the non-local shell and some of
the similar shell forms, e.g.
the notched
form and
the washer-shaped
trapezoidal
form. These similarities are to be expected
since they occur adjacent
to one another,
being separated primarily by the Red River.
there are marked differences
in
However,
ceramic technology, pipes, the use of copper,
the manufacturing of gorgets, and the use of
items such as harpoons and beaver-incisor
gouges.
Middle Missouri village sites since there are

two different spheres of activities involved.
the presence of Gulf Coast shell,
However,
similar ceramic
and projectile
techniques,
points are indicative of contact.
must also be viewed
as a regional and
de
of Mississippian
peripheral expression
The
Pattern
velopments.
Mississippian
emerged along the southern Mississippi River
500-600, shifted
Valley approximately A.D.
north up the American Bottoms and became
the foundation of large scale societies based
upon intensive horticulture during the period
A.D. 800-1300
(Griffin 1967: 189-190; Fowler
and Hall 1972; Smith 1973: 3-6; Jennings
influences are
1974: 246-265). Mississippian
seen
in: a) the rise of the Plains Village
Tradition beginning with the Initial Middle
River
Missouri Variant along the Missouri
including the Mill Creek complex of north
western
Iowa, A.D.
900.1250,
representing
and Mandan
the ancestral
Hidatsa-Crow
(Wood 1967; Lehmer 1970, 1971), b) the
and spread
of the Oneota
development
large
represented
initially by
Composite
villages A.D. 800-1300 and later by greater
and identified with Siouan
factionalization,
Oto, loway,
speakers such as theWinnebago,
1961:
(Mott 1938; Wedel
Missouri, and Osage
between
the Devils Lake
Comparisons
Sourisford Burial Complex
and the Middle
117-121;Willey 1966: 310-311; McKusick
Missouri developments show a different set of
1972, 1973; Gradwohl
1973, 1974; Gibbon
technological
relationships. Columella beads
Wilford
and Brink 1974)
1974;
1974;
Hurley
and pendants
appeared
during the Initial
and c) the development of Cambria and Great
Middle Missouri Period (A.D. 900-1250) and
circa
Oasis primarily in southern Minnesota
Extended
Middle
Period
Missouri
(A.D.
A.D. 900-1300 or 1400 both of which included
in
1100-1550) but were particularly common
as
such
influences
strong Mississippian
the Initial Middle Period (Lehmer 1971: 98).
with polished or smooth surface
ceramics
Other items found in Missouri sites during
finish, rolled rims, loop handles, and broad
these
shell Thunderbirds,
periods were
trailed shoulder
(Knudson
1967;
designs
pendants and tubular pipes.
1974; Henning 1971).
At the Reston Site (Braddell, et al. 1970) Watrall
There is an optimum expansion of Missis
braced rim and
(#8) both a cord-impressed
materials A.D. 900-1300 or 1400 into
sippian
smoothed-over,
simple stamped (i.e. paddled
near
and
the Northeastern Plains (Fig. 10).
with a grooved paddle)
body sherds were
The greatest degree of cultural diversity, the
found. These
of
traits are characteristic
largest number of settled, defended villages,
Middle
the simple
Missouri
pottery and
of some Southern Cult
the appearance
and
in sites of the
stamped pottery first appears
as the "weeping-eye"
such
motifs
probably
Plains Village Tradition during the Extended
1050 to 1300 (Fowler
fall in the period A.D.
Middle Missouri Variant (Lehmer 1971: 70).
and Hall 1972; Gibbon 1974: 135).
The Reston Site also produced several small,
In those cases where Mississippian mater
shallow
side-notched
that are
projectiles
on
ials
and near the Plains can be traced to the
similar to Middle Missouri forms.
historic period, they are assigned to Siouan
to
it
is
the
difficult
compare
Unfortunately
Initial and Extended Middle
groups. The
burial complexes with the materials from the
298
DEVILS
*/x
7% N/s~^d
\
^Cr-j"^^ ^\ /t^-^^T^~C\ ^S'l
^^^V\.?5s?
LAKE-SOURISFORDBURIALCOMPLEX
\NDEVILS
'' >ARVILLA BURIAL COMPLEX
~-t
MIDDLE
MISSOURI
TRADITION
j
ô'(6REAT OASIS
^XMISÎSSI
of
the
Devils
0FM'LES
S'^
^'^^^V^
^^?LE^
-mVsS!SS IPP ?
AJ&?uT*E?* f \\
\\
Lake-Sourisford
J^^^^
Burial
V\l
PPIAr^
^ j
DEVELOPMENTS
r:>MISSlS8IPPIAN
\\
10 Distribution
N0RTH
AMERICA
^
^j~^CADD0AY^ ^
MILLCREEK
HOR.ZOH \ \
//ONEOTA
|
XXCAMBRIAI
^^^^T^
Fig.
SCAlE
/APPALACHIAN
{'
IiI
COMPLEX
DEVELOPMENTS
AND RELATED
BURIAL
LAKE-SOURISFORD
Complex
\
inMississippian
\^-^"^
\\
\ ^ J*}
and
Related
Develop
ments (adapted fromGriffin1967;Willey 1967; Syms 1976).

the
Missouri
Variants
become
Cambria, and Great Oasis pottery but virtually
eventually
absent on Late Woodland
historic Hidatsa-Crow
and the
and Mandan
pottery.
from the
b) The one mortuary vessel
are
Oneota materials
identified with Siouan
Mound
had
four
handles
Moose
Bay
originally
groups.
which were
removed prior to firing. The
is common on
must be viewed as being strongly influenced
practice of applying handles
Middle
Missouri
Oneota
the
pottery,
pottery, and
by Mississippian
Despite
developments.
other Mississippian
forms but appears to be
nature of
somewhat
limited and specialized
absent on Woodland
the following traits reflect
the materials,
pottery of the Boreal
Forest and Upper Great Lakes.
characteristics:
Mississippian
of four lizards or
vessels
have
small mortuary
c) The
a) The
application
a
salamanders
to
bears
resemblance
incised
decora
smooth
surfaces
and
strong
primarily
the practice of applying lizard or salamander
include a
tion, and the Reston examples
handles to vessels found in the Madisonville
cord-impressed braced rim and part of a large
"Fort Ancient
Focus of the Mississippian,
vessel with a simple stamped surface finish.
contrast between
the
There
is a marked
(Griffin 1966, 1967) (see Griffin 1966,
Aspect"
Plate LXVI, LXIX). Griffin originally suggested
and Mississippian
tendency for Mississippian
in 1964 that the Madisonville
Focus was
influenced remains to have smooth surface
more
but
has
it
finish and theWoodland
remains of the Upper
recently assigned
Algonquian
to the Mississippian Tradition.
Great Lakes and Boreal Forest to have a
d) The incised tablets, mainly of catlinite,
variety of textile-impressed5 surface finishes.
most or all of which are associated with the
The
surface
finish and
simple
stamped
are char
Devils Lake-Sourisford
braced
rim are Initial and
Complex,
cord-impressed
Oneota
and
other
acteristic
of Siouan
Extended Middle Missouri traits. Incising is
common
on Middle
Missouri,
Mississippian materials.
Oneota,
299
shell mask-gorgets,
e) The
particularly
those with
the "weeping-eye"
motif, are
and are known to persist into
Mississippian
the historic period on the Plains only among
the Siouan
Kansa
and
possibly
Osage
(Howard 1956).
Temporal
Range
The evidence consists of a limited sample

of radiocarbon dates and inferences based
which caused or
upon other developments
of the Devils
influenced the appearance
Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex (Fig. 11). The
ex
include Mississippian
data
comparative
the
in
of
developments
pansion
general,
Great Oasis,
and
Middle Missouri, Oneota,
Arvilla in particular, and a limited number of
dates.
In terms of Middle Mississippian

develop
ments, these do not appear to be significant
until A.D.
900,
they undergo maximum
1050 ?
florescence about A.D.
1150, and
1250-1500 (Fowler
decline rapidly from A.D.
and Hall 1972). Initial and Extended Middle
Missouri
variants, which are Plains expan
sions of Middle Mississippi
developments,
A.D.
900-1250
and A.D.
occur
between
1100-1450 respectively (Lehmer 1971). Great
and Cambria,
Oasis
Upper Mississippian
are
in southern Minnesota,
developments
900-1300 and
estimated to date circa A.D.
1000-1300
A.D.
respectively (Watrall 1974;
Wilford and Johnson
1970; Henning 1971).
circa A.D.
900 and
also appeared
Oneota
persisted until at least 1600, although the
earlier period of A.D. 900-1300 represents the
period of greatest expansion and nucleation
there is a
1972:169-179).
Thus,
(Gibbon
that
consensus
Mississippian develop
general
ments had their greatest initial impact on the
Plains circa A.D. 900-1300. Since many of the
Burial
traits of the Devils Lake-Sourisford
influences,
represent Mississippian
Complex
e.g., smooth incised pottery, the weeping eye
motif, shell mask gorgets, four salamanders
or lizards on small vessels, and incised stone
tablets, or represent items obtained through
trade networks, e.g. shell from
Mississippian
the Gulf Coast, then this date range provides
for the
estimate
a reasonable
temporal
that
and
materials
the
ideas
of
introduction
are affiliated with the complex.
(Table 2).
is at
The Arvilla Burial Complex evidence
odds with these data. Johnson (1973: 65-66)
argues that the Arvilla Complex

developed
rapidly circa A.D. 500 or 600 and terminated
by A.D. 900 in the southern parts (western
but may have persisted a couple
Minnesota)
of hundred years to the north (southern
His temporal estimates are based
Manitoba).
on 4 radiocarbon dates from 2 mounds:
a) A.D. 785 ? 120 (1-778) on bone and a
date of 1250 B.C. ? 190 (I-890) on clamshell
for the Haarstad Site, and
Site dates of A.D. 600
b) The DeSpiegler
(I-779) on bone and A.D. 1280 (I-792) on birch
bark (Johnson 1964, 1973). Only the bone
dates were accepted
by the author because
were
less likely to
similar
and
presumed
they
than the other dates.
be contaminated
The proposed date range forArvilla seems
somewhat too early given the artifacts and the
in general
that are
cultural developments
on
the
Northeastern
Plains
and
place
taking
areas. Even ifthe Arvilla
Upper Mississippian
Burial Complex may have begun as early as
it probably persisted until A.D.
A.D.
600,
1400. The reasons formy revised Arvilla date
range are based on:
1. The presence of St. Croix pottery which is
ca A.D.
Middle to Late Middle Woodland
600-900 (Caine 1974: 60-61).
2. The presence of a Blackduck vessel with
in an Arvilla
multiple rows of punctates
should date to late A.D.
burial which
700-1400 on the basis of a variety of radio
carbon dates from Minnesota, Manitoba,
and western Ontario
(Syms 1976: 278
but
the
280),
particular form found with
is likely to be Late
the Arvilla materials
Blackduck
(Lugenbeal 1976) and therefore
The
1200-1400.
revised
to A.D.
date
the
time
estimate
incorporates
temporal
influ
maximum
of
Mississippian
period
ences on the Plains; whether the early ini
of Arvilla are sound re
tial developments
mains to be seen.
The limited available radiocarbon dates asso
ciated with Devils Lake-Sourisford materials
are spread over several centuries. The Reston
incised on a pot
Burial with the Thunderbird
175
1285 +
date of A.D.
has a collagen
(S-743) (Syms 1976: 389). The Moose Bay
1040 ? 70
Mound produced a date of A.D.
A
on
date
of A.D.
wood.
1973:
92)
(Hanna
1075 + 70 (S-1329) came from theWoodlawn
Site (E.G. Walker,
personal communication
1978). A third possible date is from the Feland
300
Table 2. Conversion of Radiocarbon Dates to Dendrochronology Recalibrated Dates8

Traditional
Radiocarbon
Reference
Sample
Recalibrated
Radiocarbon
Date
Date
Arvilla Dates
1-778 Haarstad Site Mound
I-890 Haarstad Site Mound
I-779 DeSpiegler
Site
I-792 DeSpiegler
Site
Devils
Lake Sourisford
S-1329
Bay Mound
Mound
Woodlawn
Hanna
Walker
S-686 Feland Site
of 3 Hendrickson
aBased on dated
no 13C data.
bDates
based
cStandard
Good
1973:
1973
III
Good
et al 1977:
A.D. 785+120
1250 B.C. + 190b
A.D. 600cA.D. 612
A.D.
1280b'c
A. Q803?177
1561 B.C. ?231
A.D. 1285 + 175
A.D. 1280+ 214
A.D.
12581
number was
A.D.
A.D.
1040+70
A.D.
1075 ? 70
A.D.
A.D.
1380?85
A.D.1368?152
A.D. 1450+ 130
18
et al 1977:
used by Damon
not presented
based
92
(pers. Comm.)
on shell and birch bark and rejected
deviation
1973
Good et al 1977: 18
Good et al 1977: 18
and procedures
dates
^Saskatchewan
for the others.
eLaboratory
1964,
1964,
1973
1973
Syms 1976: 390
III
Hendrickson
UGA-1396 Hendrickson III

UGA-1397 Hendrickson III
Average
1964,
Syms 1976: 389
Moose
UGA-1498
1964,
Dates
S-743d Reston BurialSite
S"
Johnson
Johnson
Johnson
Johnson
A.D. 1412? 181
A.D. 1525? 65
A.D. 1365? 60
18
A.D.
et al 1974.
Formula
1428?
A.D. 1490?142
A.D. 1346?138
39
for standard
1057?139
1080 ? 139
A.D.
deviation
was
1401 ? 132f
the one based
on
as unreliable.
in report.
on half-life of 5568
years
(Rutherford
pers. comm.
1973);
the same half-life
is assumed
not published.
18 correction)
*Good et al (1974:
that the
data are available.
13q
give a recalibrated
of A.D.
date
Site on the Antler River at the Manitoba

North Dakota border which produced smooth
incised pottery and pottery with rim decora
tions identical to the miniature vessels plus a
date of A.D.
1450 ?
130 (S-686)
(Syms
IIIdates
1976:390). Finally, ifthe Hendrickson
are considered, there are 3 dates of A.D. 1380
1525 ? 65 (UGA
? 85 (UGA-1498), A.D.
1396), and A.D. 1365 ? 60 (UGA-1397) which
were averaged
to produce a single date of
A.D.
1428 ? 39 (Good et al 1977: 18). The
dates do cluster fairlynarrowly and also within
the time period of maximum Mississippian
+ 55 using the formula which
assumes
generations or else the Devils Lake-Sourisford

Burial Complex could have persisted into the
centuries. The
Eighteenth and Nineteenth
latter seems unlikely because
early historic
observations do not include items such as the
tubular pipe, incised mortuary vessels and
columella beads, and the shell gorgets are
forms lacking the mask-like
small ovoid
eye motif. In overview, the Devils
weeping
Burial Complex
Lake-Sourisford
appeared
900-1000 and persisted
approximately A.D.
into at least late 1400 with a few elements
persisting into the historic period.
impact.
Two other lines of evidence must also be

considered. One of the Bentz gorgets has a
horse carved on it which would
possible
1750 if, as Howard believes,
post-date A.D.
the pattern was incised at the time the gorget
was made. Also, a "mask" gorget was still
being used in a Kansa ceremonial bundle as
1857 (Howard 1956). These latter
late as A.D.
items could represent either isolated items
that had been passed down through many
1401
General Village Materials

the available data, one can make
predictions regarding what should be found in
sites when
they are eventually
occupation
were
the predominate
bison
excavated. Since
be common.
should
remains
bison
resource,
With respect to technology, ceramics will
amount of smooth
include a considerable
incised
pottery, some of which will have
of
the
vessels
will
Some
decorative designs.
From
301
1900
MIDDLE
MISSlSSIPPI
MIDDLE
MISSISSIPPI
MIDDLE
MISSOURI
ONEOTA
ARVILLA
SOURISFORD
IeTHNO
DEVILS
LAKE
GRAPHIC
1800
11
1700
1600
-,
%
1400
1300 2
3 \
>
<n
w
z<
s
<
~ 1 1
Si
I' JMI II I ?OH
? 5
21 5
Hi
a:
..I
.2
S
z?
o|
eJ
< I
"k?1
'(I
?<
i Ii | Si
*
I
oh-
ill
\
E H \
900
fi
I'll
,,ooi
<o _
j?
i
n>
* iS i
o.
I 151
700
3% Id
> II u
< U2
j!
<
<
5 LJ
j 2
600 3j
500
*
*
DASHED
Fig. 11 Comparison
K
ments.
LINES
ESTIMATES
REPRESENT
of Probable
and
Possible
ANO TENTATIVE
Devils
3 o z
o 2 uj Sj
5
-
ui <
DATES
Lake-Sourisford
Dates
with
Other
Related
302
Develop
lips with zig-zag

incising and parallel
and possibly a
braced
Tabs,
rims,
incising.
few handles will be present. Surface finishwill
include simple paddle stamp and possible
in addition
to the
check stamp designs
are
finish. Since
surface
smooth
groups
in the Aspen
Parkland where
wintering
Woodland
Indians, such as the manufacturers
of the Blackduck Horizon, are also wintering,
it is likely that there will be at least small
proportions of textile-covered Late Woodland
have
vessels.
it is a small fortified site with

insights because
3 circular depressions
inside the ditch and 4
depressions outside the ditch which probably
represent structural units. Furthermore, on
the basis of limited flora and fauna, a late
summer/
early autumn
(August-October)
is proposed.
At
least limited
occupation
horticulture is indicated by charred kernels of
corn and a scapula
the
hoe, however,
importance of bison in terms of numbers and
resource
other re
intensity far outweigh
sources.
If the Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Com

Fragments of the imported exotic materials
such as shell, copper, and pipestone should
plex represents the remains of nomadic bison
hunters following the seasonal movements of
include
also be found. Lithics will
late,
bison similar to that described by Hind and if
side-notched and unnotched triangular forms
the Hendrickson
III Site represents a fall
plus the usual variety of scrapers and bifaces.
some
with
A variety of bone tools will be present as well.
horticultural
village
activities, then
the proposed cycle would have to be modified
The miniature vessels are characterized by
to correspond to a pattern somewhat
smooth surface finish, incised decoration, and
like the
inwhich they planted limited gardens
Santee
lip tabs. Fragments of other vessels are rare
which were
leftwhile they went on bison
but there have been a braced rim sherd and
a
of
section
simple stamped
large
hunting expeditions.
body
section from the Reston burial (Braddell et al
Ethnic Identity
1970) and a smooth rimwith incizing from the
Moose Bay Mound
(Hanna 1976). These traits
Since the Devils Lake-Sourisford materials
would presumably be found with other traits
are very late prehistoric, they should be
in village sites. The Moose
Bay Mound also
assignable to some ethnic or linguistic group
a
a spatulate
scrapers,
biface,
produced
or at least to a limited number of options.
shaped bone tool, bone awls, a curved bone
since
these materials
are heavily
Also,
"squash knife", a L-shaped elk antler scraper
and Mississippian materials tend
Mississippian
and plastron frag
handle, turtle carapace
to be identified with Siouan groups, then the
ments, a sandstone polishing tool, ochre-rub
burial complex could represent the Hidatsa
bed quartzite pebbles, clay concretions, a clay
some eastern Santee Dakota
Crow, Mandan,
pipe, and 9 birchbark baskets.
or Assiniboin,
or
a western
Teton
group
III Site
The Hendrickson
is a recently
Dakota group. The options are:
tested site on the James River (Good et al
1. A regional expression of the Northern Ex
to be an example of a
1977) and appears
tended Middle Missouri Variant which ap
village with which the burial complex is likely
in Central North Dakota and ev
peared
to be associated.
the ceramics, for
Among
became
entually
part of the Mandan
example, "surface treatment is predominantly
Hidatsa cultural history. Temporally,
the
with
smooth (70%)
check-stamped,
simple
dates are sound. Also, oral traditions of
stamped, and cord-wrapped paddled surfaces
both the Mandan and the Awaxawi Hidat
for ten percent
each accounting
(10%) or
sa refer to a period when they lived north
less . . . rims are decorated by incised lines,
of Turtle Mountain and Devils Lake before
lip tabs or appliqued strips" (Good et al 1977:
(Wood 1967: 10;
settling on the Missouri
208). One of the vertical appliques resembles
1976: 383). The burial complex
Syms
a simplified version of the lizard or salamander
would represent a period when they were
earlier. The
noted on the Horizon vessel
primarily bison hunters.
uncorrected average date from the Hendrick
2. The ancestral Teton, or western Sioux,
son IIISite of A.D.
1428 ? 39 coincides with
who moved
into the bison economy of the
the expected temporal range.
Plains. Unfortunately the archaeological
The probable association of this village site
evidence for the Northeastern Plains dur
the burial complex
raises
with
intriguing
303
is so frag
ing the period A.D. 900-1800
towards projectile
mentary and biased
types from bison drives, that any archaeo
logical percursors for the Teton can not be
identified. The present ethnohistory at the
since one ac
Teton is of little assistance
count has them not moving to the Missouri
River inthe 1700's (Howard 1966 III: I),yet
they presumably separated from the proto

Sioux before the Middle Sioux
(Yankton
and Yanktonai) who had a distinctive sub
sistence by the early 1600's. Also, both
in 1665 and Hennepin in 1680 re
Radisson
western
Sioux (Meyer 1967: 3-7).
ported
3. The Assiniboins who broke away from the
are differen
These
Yanktonai.
people
tiated both
linguistically and physically
tribes by 1640 (Ray
from other Siouan
1974: 4-6; Kennedy 1961: xxiv-xxxi). How
from the
early they may have separated
is unknown.
Yanktonai
4. The Crow who broke away from the Hidat
sa and adopted a bison-hunting orienta
tion. The Crow primarily occupied Mon
tana and Wyoming.
However,
they were
River and visited, at
on the Saskatchewan
in 1716, York Factory in the
least once
Hudson Bay (Byrne 1973: 532-533). The
pottery of southern Al
Cluny-Mortlach
has
and Manitoba
berta, Saskatchewan,
been tentatively identified as proto-historic
Crow and has a high proportion of smooth,
simple stamped, and check stamp pottery.
It does not have incising as an important
trait (Byrne 1973: 471-498, 531-554; Syms
and Downer's
1976: 349-352). Wood
(1977) recent evaluation of the Hagen Site
incon
and Crow-Hidatsa
split produces
clusive and conflicting results; they do
the use of the Cluny-Mortlach
question
materials.
In the Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Com

plex persists into the proto-historic or early
historic period, then itmust represent a group
such as the Assiniboin, Teton, or Crow. By
the protohistoric period, Mandan and Hidatsa
are definitely sedentary horticulturalists and
with Coales
are identified archaeologically
cent materials. More work must be done
before more specific identifications can be
Summary
The Horizon Site vessel that isdiscussed at
the beginning of this article is unique and
for the Northern
somewhat
spectacular
Plains. However, as part of burial complex of
the Northeastern
Plains, the individual pot
less important and isover-shadowed
becomes
by the significance of cultural history that is
revealed by the overall complex.
Despite the limited data that are available,
it is possible to propose the following:
1. There isa distinctive burial complex as part
of a distinctive cultural unit which includes
small mortuary vessels, Gulf Coast conch
shell artifacts, tubular pipes and a variety
of raw materials obtained in a broad trade
network.
2. The ceramic vessels functioned as religious

ritual vessels; since religious practitioners
among Plains tribes were primarily males,
these vessels should be more frequently
associated with males despite the likelihood
that they were made by women.
3. The Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex
is confined primarily to the Northeastern
Plains, west of the Red River.
left the evidence of this
4. The People who
complex were nomadic bison hunters who
moved ina seasonal cycle involvingwinter
ing in the Aspen Parkland and sheltered
valleys and summering on the Plains, and
may have practised some horticulture dur
ing spring and fall.
5. Most of the evidence has been found on
Parkland where
the edge of the Aspen
interments took place in the spring when
the bison were migrating onto the Plains
and the frostwas leaving the ground; only
a few sites have been left as a result of
someone dying during the summer hunt
out on the Plains, and
were
left by Siouan
materials
6. The
and
influenced
Mississippian
by
group(s),
Middle Missouri developments,
living dur
ing the period A.D. 900-1400; remnants of
the trait complex persisted into the proto
historic and historic periods.
ascertained.
304
REFERENCES CITED
NOTES
Arthur,
Incised
Blackfoot,
Blood,
Piegan
and
1910; Ewers 1945; Syms 1977).
3. Among
tobacco
where
Assiniboin
Dates
have
not
since
been
"weaves"
latex
and/or
variety
of
Bryce, George
The
1887
Mounds,
24. The Historical and Scientific Society of
of Manitoba,
Butler, William
1975 Two
Winnipeg.
B.
InitialMiddle Missouri Tradition Tool
Kits. Plains
pp. 53-60.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
data. The comments

previously
unpublished
by Dr.
Waldo
Dr. James
and
Leo Pettipas
Wedel,
Howard,
Biron Ebell on an earlier draft are much
appreciated.
Finally, the Brandon
University Arts Faculty Secretar
ial Pool provided
the typing services.
Winnipeg.
1904 Among the Mound Builders. Transaction

No. 66. The Historicaland ScientificSociety
for sur
identifications
Say lor 1978). Therefore,
on cursory ob
in literature, based
face finish made
must
be used with
of small sherds,
servations
to make
this report possible.
people
helped
loaned the Horizon
vessel
for a
Pingert who
for analysis
and
Mrs.
protracted
period
Sylvia
research
assistant
for the mounds
my
Corenblum,
evaluation
deserve
1978),
project
(Syms
particular
credit and recognition.
Mrs.
Cornblum
also drafted
the maps
and Figure
12. My thanks also go to Gary
Dickson
of the Manitoba
Museum
of Man and Nature,
Dianne
Wilson
of the Saskatchewan
of
Museum
access
Natural
for providing
to files and
History
Its Monuments,
Souris
Country:
No.
Forts and Rivers. Transaction
Manitoba,
(Syms 1974; Hurley 1975; Benn1976;
Many
Don
No.
peg.
the
Mr.
Bul
Tamplin
D., C. Minty, and M.S.
Burial Near Reston, Manitoba.
A Prehistoric
in
Years Archaeology
Thousand
In: Ten
W. M. Hlady
Manitoba.
(ed.), pp. 191-208.
Winni
Manitoba
Society,
Archaeological
Braddell,
1970
plasticene
elabora
lie
caution.
Prairies.
Series
Ottawa.
Benn, David
on Late Wood
Observations
1976
Preliminary
from
"Fabric
Pottery
impressed
land,
Iowa and Adjacent
Paper
Eastern
Regions."
Archae
at Society
for American
presented
Louis.
S.P.
Annual
Meeting,
ology
given a dendrochronologic
are often not
corrections
on which modified
agreement
by
a
Archaeological
No. 37. National
on the Western
Indian Days
letin No.
163, Anthropological
Museum
of Man,
46. National
(Lowie
these
accompanied
indicate
impressions
Paper
Ottawa.
Marius
Barbeau,
1960
or not been
available
are
are best.
inter
For those who
set of dates
see Table
2.
ested
in corrected
dates,
is used here as a gen
5. The term textile-impressed
finish created
eral term to refer to a surface
by a
pattern of fibres against the clay. Many of the early
to
paddle
reports use terms such as cord-wrapped
on
small
the
e.g.
sherds,
patterns
identify
have
recent
studies
1958. However,
MacNeish
of large portions of
that the reconstruction
shown
vessels
Indians.
Plains
of Canada,
of Man,
Survey
Museum
clan members
blew
the Kansa,
certain
smoke
from a sacred
pipe into the gorget
to the thunder god, the god of
it ascended
correction
W.
Northern
war (Howard 1956: 302).
4.
George
1975 An Introductionto the Ecology of EarlyHis

toricCommunal Bison HuntingAmong the
i.e.
is used here since the lines are narrow
as opposed
to
less than 1.5 mm with sharp edges
are often over 4-5
the term, trailed, for lines which
mm wide with
rounded edges.
to this rule known to date
is the
2. The only exception
by
cylindrical vessel, often unfired, that was made
men
for particular
and used
to hold pemmican
were
the
recorded
ceremonies.
These
among
1.
Vol.
Anthropologist
20, No.
67,
J.
Byrne, William
The
1973
ern
Archaeology
as
Alberta
Caine,
A.
of South
and Prehistory
Reflected
by Ceramics.
of Canada,
Paper
Survey
Archaeological
Ot
of Canada,
Museum
14. National
No.
tawa.
Christy
H.
1974 The Archaeology of the Snake River Region

Great
of Upper
In: Aspects
in Minnesota.
of
in Honor
Lakes
Papers
Anthropology:
Elden Johnson
(ed.), pp.
Lloyd A. Wilford.
St.
Historical
Minnesota
55-63.
Society,
Paul.
Katherine
Capes,
The W.
1963
H.
and Excava
B. Nickerson
Survey
Manitoba
of the Southern
1912-15,
tions,
Mounds
Papers
Anthropological
Region.
Ottawa.
of Man,
No. 4, National Museum
Damon,
lick
1974
P.E.,
C.W.
Ferguson,
A.
Long,
and
E.I. Wal
the
of
Calibration
Dendrochronologic
Anti
American
Time
Scale.
Radiocarbon
quity Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 350-366.
305
Dewdney,
1962
and Kenneth
Selwyn,
Indian Rock Paintings
of Toronto
University
Ewers, John C.
Plains
1939
Indian Painting.
Palo Alto.
Habgood,
1967
Stanford
G.
Hanna,
Margaret
1973
The Moose
for Blackfoot
Pottery. American
Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 289-299.
Anthropologist.
Department
Manitoba.
The
Case
In: Indian Life on

fore Lewis and Clark.
14-33. University
pp.
Upper Missouri,
Oklahoma
Press, Norman.
1976
the
of
Hassrick,
1964
L. and Robert L. Hall

Fowler, Melvin
at Cahokia.
1972
Phases
Papers
Archaeological
in Anthropology
1. Illinois State Mu
No.
seum,
Springfield.
Henning,
1971
Arch
River. Minnesota
Prehistoric
Histori
Series No.
10. Minnesota
aeological
cal Society,
St. Paul.
St. Croix
Kent, J. Dahlberg,
Good,
F. Schneider
1977
Archaeological
rickson III Site
Anthropology
Forks.
Gradwohl,
1974
T.
Indians.
Larson,
Historical
Griffin, James
Howard,
1953
of the Hend
Investigations
of
32SN403.
Department
Grand
and
Archaeology,
Des
Moines
of the Central
In:
A Preliminary
Summary.
Anthro
Lakes
Great
Upper
1967
Grinnell,
Eastern
Science
George
America:
North
Vol.
156, No. 3772,
No.
Papers
Ann
Arbor.
A
pp.
University
The
River Explor
Expedition
Edmonton.
Southern
Cult on the Plains.
Vol.
19, pp. 130-138.
of
(Or
American
Cult Gorgets
of Southern
The Persistence
American
Anti
the Historic Kansa.
Among
quity. Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 301-303.
1966
or Sioux
in
The Dakota
Indians. A Study
Anthro
Human
Museum
Dakota
Ecology.
Da
pological
Papers No. 2 (Part III). South
Vermillion.
kota Museum,
1968
The Southeastern
Ceremonial
Complex
6. Missouri
Its Interpretation.
Memoir
Columbia.
Society,
chaeological
Elden Johnson
sota Historical
and
Ar
(ed.),
Society,
115-128.
pp.
St. Paul.
Minne
M.
1975 An Analysis of EffigyMound Complexes in

Wisconsin,
University
Isinger, Bryan J.
1971
Saskatchewan
Vol. 3, No.
Summary.
175-191.
Press,
Red
pology Papers inHonor of LloydA. Wilford.
Jennings,
1974
1923 The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and

Yale
of the Canadian
James
Hurley, William
Bird
of Life.
Ways
Haven.
In: Pre
Cultural
Distributions,
Marshall
McKusick
Investigations.
125-133. Office of
(ed.), Report No. 3, pp.
Iowa City.
the State Archaeologist,
Oasis
M.
Hurley, William
and Oneota.
1974
Culture Contact:
Effigy Mound
In: Aspects
Great Lakes Anthro
of Upper
1966 The Fort Ancient Aspect: ItsCultural and

Chronological Position inMississippi Valley
(Originallypublished in 1943).
R.
1956
Minnesota
B.
Anthropological
Archaeology.
28.
of Michigan,
University
of a Warrior
Customs
of Oklahoma
Press,
iginallypublished in 1860).
B. Benz,
(ed.), pp. 90-102.

St. Paul.
Society,
Life and
University
and
Saskatchewan
1858. M. G. Hurtig Limited,
Macmillan,
Johnson
Dale
Great
Hind, Henry Youle

1971
Narrative
pology Papers inHonor of LloydA. Wilford.

Elden
Royal B.
The Sioux:
Antiquity.
M.
David
Archaeology
River Valley:
of
Aspects
Moose
Bay Burial Mound.
Anthropo
No.
3. Saskatchewan
Mu
Series
logical
seum of Natural History, Regina.
The
boine
Anthro
Lakes
of Upper
Great
Aspects
inHonor
of Lloyd A. Wilford.
pology Papers
Elden Johnson
129-137. Minne
(ed.), pp.
sota Historical
St. Paul.
Society,
the Plains
thesis,
of
ing Expedition of 1857 and of the Assini
1974 A Model ofMississippian Development and

Its Implicationsfor the RedWing Area. In:
The Art of
New York.
M.A.
University
historic
1973 The Sheffield Site: An Oneota Site on the
1975
Bay Burial Mound.

of Anthropology,
Society.
Norman.
Guy E.
and the Development
of
Cultural Dynamics
Ameri
inWisconsin.
the Oneota
Life-Way
can Antiquity
Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 166-185.
Glubok, Shirley
inAlberta. Ar
Pictographs
of Alberta Newsletter.
Society
and
chaeological
13-14.
No.
1968 The IndianTrade of theUpper Missouri Be
Gibbon,
1972
Thelma
Petroglyphs
University
Press,
1945
Kidd
the Great Lakes.
Press, Toronto.
of
No.
Papers
Anthropological
Ann Arbor.
of Michigan,
Catlinite
5-11.
Tablets.
59.
Na'Pao
1, pp.
Jesse D.
Prehistory of North America.
Montreal.
McGraw-Hill,
New
306
(2nd Edition).
Elden
Johnson,
1964
Montgomery,
1973
The Arvilla
Archaeology
St.
Society,
Kennedy,
1961
Minnesota
Complex.
No.
9. Minnesota
Paul.
American
640-651.
1908
Prehistoric
Historical
1910
Michael
Stephen
The Assiniboines
of the
from the Accounts
to First Boy
Old Ones
Told
[James Larp
enteur Long.)
Nor
University of Oklahoma,
man.
The
Cambria
Ceramics.
Village
Vol.
12, No. 37,
pologist.
Donald
Lehmer,
Ronald
J.
Nash,
1974
Documentary
Plains
pologist.
Ray, Arthur
1974
In: Pleistocene
and Recent
Valley.
Environments
of the Central
Great Plains.
Jr. (eds.)).
(W. Dort, Jr. and J. K. Jones,
of Kansas,
ology.
National
Anthropological
Parks Service,
Archae
1.
No.
Papers
Vol.
Lugenbeal,
History,
Edward
Saylor,
Report
No.
American
Garden
City.
Sigstad,
Meyer,
Smith,
Trappers,
and Middlemen
of Toronto
Press,
in the
1660
Toronto.
Museum
Syms,
Vol.
Archae-Facts
5, No.
2-3,
S.
John
Vol.
3, No.
3, pp.
377-382.
D.
Bruce
Ph.D.
thesis,
University
of
E. Leigh
1971 A PreliminaryTabulation of BurialMounds
of
of Southwestern
Manitoba,
file.
script in the author's
1970.
Manu
1974
"Textile
from Reconstructed
Impressions
on Boreal
Plains
Forest-Eastern
Vessels
at the Fifth An
Border".
Paper presented
nual Calgary
Conference,
Calgary.
1976
and
Ceramics
Dy
Ecological
Indigenous
namics of Southwestern
Manitoba
500 B. C.
-A.D.
of
1800. Ph.D.
thesis,
Department
of Alberta,
Ed
University
Anthropology,
monton.
1977 Cultural Ecology and Ecological Dynamics

of
the
in Southwestern
Ceramic
Period
Memoir
12 Plains
Anthropol
Vol.
12, No. 72 (2).
Manitoba.
ogist,
1978 Aboriginal Moundsin Southern Manitoba:
1967 History of theSantee Sioux: United States

University
G.
Stanley
Populations.
Village.
Archaeological
Iowa
University of Iowa,
on Trial.
Lincoln.
Anthro
Michigan.
Roy M.
Policy
Press,
Plains
1973 Middle Mississippian Exploitation ofAnimal
the Longhouse
Set
Reconstructing
Village
tlement
Patterns.
Plains
Anthropologist.
Vol.
19, No. 65, pp. 197-210.
Indian
braska
the Manufacture
J.
quity.
City.
1974
Vol.
1970 A Field Test for Catlinite. American Anti
N.
Oneota
4. The
Iowa.
Indians in the Fur Trade, Their Role as
Selkirk Ware.
pp. 49-56.
and Culture
in
Ceramics
tory of Blackduck
Northern
at the
Minnesota.
Paper
given
Plains-Midwest
Conference,
Minneapolis.
Marshall
The Grant
on
in
Politics.
1978 An Introductionto Fabric Impressionson
1976 The Blackduck Ceramics of the Smith Site

(21KC3) and Their Implicationsforthe His
McKusick,
1973
Sources
1870. University
21,
Robert H.
Lowie,
1910
The Assiniboine.
of
Papers
Anthropological
the American
Museum
of Natural
History
IV. The American
His
Museum
of Natural
tory, New York.
of the Plains.
Manifestations
of History
and
Lands Southwest of Hudson Bay
Washington.
Bryon Site. Plains Anthropologist.

No. 71, pp. 55-56.
Indians
Natural
1,
Lawrence.
Missouri
Link,Adolph W.
1976 A BirdMotif on a Mississippian Pot fromthe
1954
in Manitoba.
12, No.
Vol.
and Middle
Missouri.
Vol. 4, pp. 13-20.
Hunters,
Department of Geology Special Publication

to Middle
Mound
Sas
Vol.
of Pottery by the Indians of the Cental
Missouri
3, University
pp. 227-314.
36,
1970 Climate and Culture History in the Middle
Introduction
8, pp.
Mildred
Dam Area, South

1950-51. Bureau
Dakota,
of American
Bulletin
158. Smith
Ethnology
sonian
Institution, Washington.
No.
Mountain
Anthropologist.
Archaeological
Iowa Journal
J.
8, No.
1938 The Relation of Historic IndianTribes to
Plains
Anthro
pp. 247-299.
1954 Archaeological Investigations in the Oahe
1971
Calf
American
pp. 49-57.
Mott,
Vol.
Anthropologist.
Prehistoric
Man
in Manitoba
and
katchewan.
American
Anthropologist.
10, No.
1, pp. 33-40.
Ruth Ann
Knudson,
1967
Henry
1906 Remains of PrehistoricMan inthe Dakotas.
Dates
from Min
Twenty New Radiocarbon
nesota Archaeological
Sites. The Minnesota
Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 34-49.
Archaeologist.
An Evaluative
Parks Canada.
of Ne
Overview.
Contract
report for
Re
Parks Canada,
Western
gion, Manitoba.
307
Thomas,
1894
Cyrus
Report
Bureau
port.
on Mound
the
of
Explorations
Twelfth Annual
Re
of Ethnology.
Bureau of American
Ethnology, Wash
ington.
Vickers,
1945 Archaeology in the Rock and Pelican Lake

American
of South-Central
Manitoba.
Vol.
11, No. 2, pp. 88-94.
Antiquity.
1946 Aboriginal Background in Southern Mani

toba. Papers
and
torical
pp. 3-9.
Wood,
His
read before the Manitoba
Scientific
Society,
Winnipeg,
of Manitoba.
Papers
III, No.
Series
St.
Society,
1967
Wettlaufer,
Boyd
An Archaeological
1951
1. Manuscript
No.
Museum
of Man,
Wilford,
1974
on
the Great Plains.

Press, Norman.
Survey of Saskatchewan
on file at the National
Ottawa.
or Pottery Making
Tools?
Vol. 6, pp. 17-20.
Anthropologist
and
John W.
Brink
A Proto-historic
Oneota
Minnesota
Archaeologist.
1-2.
No.
Hogback:
The
Site.
1972
St.
Paull
Archae
America.
Historical Analysis of
on Plains
Indian Pottery.
Vol. 28, No.
1, pp. 25
Antiquity.
Patterns
His
Culture
of Mandan
Interpretation
Bul
Bureau
of American
Ethnology
39.
198, River Basin
Paper
Surveys
Smithsonian
Institution, Washington.
An
American
Features
of North
Contrastive
in
In: For the Chief: Essays
Trade Systems.
F.W. Voget
of Luther S. Cressman.
Honor
R. L. Stephenson
(eds.),
Anthropological
of
153-169.
No. 4, pp.
University
Papers
Oregon,
Eugene.
and Alan S. Downer

W.
Wood,
Raymond
Schism.
Notes on the Crow-Hidatsa
1977
Trends
inMiddle Missouri Prehistory:A Festschrift
J.
of Donald
the Contributions
Honoring
Lehmer. Memoir
13, Plains Anthropologist
Vol. 22, No. 78 (2), pp. 83-100.
Univer
P.
Flatteners"
Lloyd A.
XXXIII,
Society,
tory.
letin
8, pp. 40-46.
Paul.
R.
Waldo
Wedel,
Prehistoric Man
1961
sity of Oklahoma
"Quill
Plains
Stylistic and
Shoulder
American
read
Charles
Watrall,
at the Cambria
Pattern Change
1974
Subsistence
In: Aspects
and Hypothesis.
Site: A Review
of Upper Great Lakes Anthropology
Papers
in Honor
Elden John
of Lloyd A. Wilford.
son (ed.), pp. 138-142. Minnesota
Historical
Wheeler,
1956
Historical
Raymond
39.
Assiniboines
of Manitoba,
W.
1962 A
before the Historical and Scientific Society
Richard
Johnson
of the Red River Head
Gordon
Willey,
An Introduction
to North American
1966
1, North and Middle
ology, Vol.
Cliffs.
Prentice-Hall,
Englewood
Con
Plains
Lakes Aspect.
Archaeological
Vol.
ference Newsletter.
1, No. 3, pp. 8-10.
The
Elden
Minnesota
waters,
1948 The HistoricApproach and the Headwaters
1951
and
1970 Burial Mounds

R.
Chris
Area
Lloyd A.
Wilford,
Gary A.
Wright,
Some
1967
Aspects
teenth Century
Western
Great
13,
ologist. Vol.
of Early and Mid-Seven

in the
Networks
Exchange
Archae
Lakes.
Michigan
No. 4, pp. 181-197.
James V.
Wright,
An Eleven
Ontario
1972
Prehistory:
Outline.
Year
Archaeological
Museum
of Man, Ottawa.
Thousand
National
Burial
Vol.
Dept. of Sociology/
Anthropology
Brandon University
Brandon, Manitoba
R7A 6A9
May 1978
308

10 2307@25667570

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

10 2307@25667570

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Maney Publishing

THE DEVILS LAKE SOURISFORD BURIAL COMPLEX ON THE NORTHEASTERN PLAINS

THE DEVILS LAKE - SOURISFORD BURIAL COMPLEX

Isolated, exotic mortuary

items have been reported

Plains during the Neo-Atlantic

has been anaylized

consider limited regional samples and to lack a

of The Devils Lake-Sourisford

A complex of tools and traits is difficult to

objects, such as hides, shields, and clothing,

the spiral axis of whelk shells, use of straight"cigar

catlinite pipes, use of incised catlinite

deeply as to completely penetrate the object being

This trait list is modified somewhat with the

The Horizon Miniature Vessel

globular pot with

1. Traits of the Horizon Mortuary Vessel

Tan (10 YR 7/8)b to black

Only two of the four lizards or salamanders

in style (Fig. 2). Both are angular,

the nature of this

on hides, and hammered on thin sheets of

historicBlackfoot tipipainting (Fig. 3 N) in

terms of feather detail.

Fig. 3 A Sample of Bird Designs fromPrehistoricand

sheets of copper. A variety of birds and

early Twentieth Century (Glubok 1975: 9); the

Lizards and similar forms were

(Grinnell1923 [1]: 223, 334; [11]: 110-111).

remember that spiritual forces

This section gives some indication of the

Iam aware of only 20 vessels that

Fig. 5 Artistic Sketches of Devils Lake-Sourisford

(Hanna 1976) and in one or more

1906, 1908, 1910;Howard 1953;Capes 1963).

Other patterns include: a) combination

The Reston vessel and most of the incised

patient took a sip from the cup

medicine was put in. (Grinnell1923 [11]: 134-135).

This ethnohistorical account demonstrates

Whelk shell gorgets are the second most

His drinkingvessel could be

small bowl about eight inches indiameterwith

on the inside, and

was made long ago by hismother's

been used by Red Eagle in

The figures cut in the cup are those of

doctor putmedicine inthe cup, he

of the four animals,

in the four directions.

Fig. 6 Shell Gorgets of the Devils Lake-Sourisford

gorgets with the Missis

Shell and Bone Artifacts Associated

G-H) bird bone beads,

I) notched shell pendant, J)

of incised catlinite tablet, S)

incised bison design on

The smaller tubular beads made

rare. They were found in the Westbourne,

from bird bone fragments

(Isinger 1971) also probably

is rare. Bryce (1904) reported a