There seems to have been some doubt among traders at the time about the wisdom of re-establishing themselves in the region. The current research is mainly concerned with the physical history of the establishment known as Fort Pierre II, for which evidence exists. However, it is clear that by the late 1830s – approximately the period of the inception of the.
Raynaud's of the Corps of Engineers, who in the summer of 1859, accompanied by the eminent geologist Ferdinand V.
DESCEIPTION OF THE SITE
Former title to the parcel in question (Lot 4) is recorded in public records preserved in the office of the Eegister of Deeds, Stanley County. In both cases, a trench marks the line of the old woodland, and mounds of earth the sites of former dwellings.
AKCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OBTAINED
Changes such as these, in the character of the natural resources of the immediate vicinity after the period of the trading post, may. However, no evidence is visible on the said aerial photograph of the actual site determined by excavation, and. From this point northward, similar tests were then made, the test blocks following the alignment of the west side of the original enclosure.
Sections were then made of the northern side of the enclosure in a similar manner, although no actual point of intersection was found between the western north faces. During this time, part of the northern half of the entire enclosed area (which is surrounded by the known three sides) was also leafy. Only one such site (House Plot A) was discovered in this process, and it is likely that long-term cultivation of the entire site had destroyed other building remains elsewhere within the storage area.
In the course of this mechanical work, the clearing of the previously opened burial pit in the south, west, was done by hand digging. When examining the site of a trading post, which is known from comparative data to have been constructed a large part of wooden materials and evidence. As the depth reached by the inner vertical edge of the blade was appreciable, averaging 1^^ feet below the level of the present (cultivated) surface, it was necessary to move the soil some distance outward from the vertical profile left by the edge of the blade.
ARCHITECTURAL EVIDENCE
Excavation revealed that the sides of the stockade enclosure describe a somewhat irregular square. The latter estimates are obtained by projecting the adjacent stockade lines to the point of intersection. No further architectural details could be obtained as the northern part of the structure had been com-.
Other specimens obtained here illustrate original furniture and reveal the essentially domestic character of the building. In addition to evidence that the building was floored, several small subfloor pits were found during excavation. The boundaries of the pit were somewhat vague and ill-defined, no doubt due to the collapse of the walls during the pit.
Given that the fill revealed little of the original use of the cellar. No suggestion of the use of any superstructure was seen at this cellar, probably due to cultivation prior to excavation. It is possible that the pit had once held trade goods rather than foodstuffs, but certainty on this point is not now possible.
ARTIFACTUAL EVIDENCE
Therefore, the current problem is that of identifying this place from few records of various kinds, to which must be added the material evidence from excavations - the latter, like contemporary records, constitute genuine primary evidence (if limited). Further archival research, fortunately, offers hope for better knowledge of Fort Pierre II's physical history as well as its overall historical role. The use of adobe in the Missouri Basin is also known from archaeological investigations at the site of Fort Stevenson, N.
Eight slightly larger, superior bricks, yellowish torn in color, with coarse, gravelly temper, somewhat brittle; length8^4: to 8i/^ inches; width 4 to4^^ inches; thickness 2% to 2% inches; although none of these specimens are marked, the burnt bricks found at the site of Fort Stevenson are similar to those known to have been made by St. It is worth noting that no fragments of finish lime-plaster were obtained at this site. 293: Part only, probably local wrought iron, with loop for inserting the pin and holes for nailing; length 8% inches.
A very similar latch, complete with its handle, of slightly smaller dimensions, was obtained at the site of Fort Berthold II (Smith, MS.).
TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTS
1% inch (pi.24, m); probably for use with leather harness straps, to which. it is fastened with small iron rivets; inside diameters 5 years inches, 5% inches and 6 inches; widths of bandsca.ly^ inches; thickness of metal approx. of an inch; everything from heavy wagons like mule-drawn Army. These pieces appear to relate to both the period of the Indian trade at Fort Pierre II and that of the agricultural period that followed.
FURNITURE AND HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES
no. 783), probably originally 19 cm long, still contains one of the two original wooden fittings, held in place by three small brass pins (pi.25, e). All specimens are fragments of three-pronged forks, except one (no. 919), which has only two. Another specimen (No. 654) is a shoulder fragment of a pale yellow-colored bitter bottle, of a common variety, similar to specimens found at Fort Berthold II and elsewhere (Smith, MS.).
Three sherds (No. 1159) are from a cup or bowl of Bennington ware (American or English). no. 464, with 230 sherds) ; one sherd of the lot preserves a helmeted human face, in relief, of a Classical design, perhaps of a tureen or sugar bowl (pi. The jars are simple, violin-shaped (with scroll decorations in relief), and others, with some fragments of special patterns, such as one (No. 473) marked "Ou Rye" (in panel), with part of a.
1077: Fragment of the lip of the bowl of a glazed pipe, in white (at the rim) and brown; diameter approx. This specimen (No. 193) has been darkened by smoking, and part of the original dot (No. 194) was also obtained. 722: Fragment of the side of a clear greenish glass flask with the spread eagle (head left), probably from a quart-size bottle (pi. 25, i).
MISCELLANEOUS
Two small catlinite objects (no. perhaps also products of white men, as leisure activities or as pocket pieces, are also present (pi. A ring-like catlinite object (no. 827), perhaps an ornament, may originally have been part of a thermophatic reed bowl; this is a roughly cut groove around the circumference, diameter 23.0 mm Two sawn and polished pieces of catlinite (No. were too small or too poor in quality to have been further machined.
A fragment (No. 161) of typical Sioux quartzite, which retains evidence of having been roughly shaped by chopping and sawing, is also present. The use of such pieces in native games of the plima-stone game type is well known from at least one contemporary authority (Denig, 1930, p. 567, and pi. 72). As mentioned above (p. 127), the articulated skeleton of a young horse was encountered among the random debris in Cellar A; the carcass of the foal.
Several bones of dogs were obtained, but it is impossible to determine whether they relate to the trading period (as it must have partly been the case) of the farm period. One bone derived only from the skeleton of a domestic cat was recovered, presumably from the farm period, although cats are known to have been important to traders in earlier periods as well.
DISCUSSION
Also on the east side of Missouri, where agriculture is of relatively greater importance. It is therefore hardly surprising that, despite their historical importance to a very large region, physical remains from the earlier period of the fur trade and hide trade (ended less than a century ago) have as yet received little attention from students. Except for excavation of portions of the site of Slant Indian Village (32M026), an earth lodge village near the Heart River recently abandoned by Lewis and Clark in 1804.
Thus it would be important to know more than is now known about the truth of the material culture of the Indian frontier in the region (as it differed from that of the military frontier (roughly or that of permanent Wliitesettle-. In the beginning of trade, the free trader, usually solitary (and sometimes of mixed blood himself) often resided with local groups, exerting primary cultural influence as well as often intermarrying. nearly two centuries, and the main points of trade are the posts themselves , in whose places material remains can be collected for archaeological studies.
Thus, as noted p. 112), there are few clues as to the relative importance in the operation of the post of working animals such as oxen, mules, or horses, or of the cultivation of the soil, as in kitchen gardens. And little of the actual existence of such posts is now known, apart from the probability that they were from the outset, by force, largely self-sufficient during the greater part of the year, and certainly during the winter season. These include the following: (1) the definition and delineation of the complete outline of a trading post, including limited data on construction (materials, design and construction methods) despite long agricultural use of the sites thereafter.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The excavations reported here for site 39ST217 are the first systematic investigation of a site of Caucasian origin in the area of the. Such plans would be prepared without regard to the artificial geographic limitations of the river basin disposal program, but instead with regard to known historical facts. This is especially desirable given that some of the key locations (Forts Union, Clark, and Pierre Chouteau) are not in areas where recovery operations are required or permitted.
Such planned fieldwork, involving sites of White origin and of commercial (or other) character, will take into account various factors important in the history of trade in the West, especially temporal and geographical factors. Improper recognition of the value of surviving original and authentic source material of a physical nature, much more exploitation of it seems warranted. It should be mentioned that excavations have been going on at the Bite of the U.S. for several years.
Fort Osage which supplied supplies to the Indians in the lower Missouri region, but the results of this world have not yet appeared in print. It seems that these excavations were subordinated to the reconstruction of the post, which is still ongoing, and there may be additions to the general knowledge from the archaeological work. Such extensions of knowledge about the past will undoubtedly have real value.
With the inevitable advance in the knowledge of the history of the West, and with the ever-increasing interval of time separating modern times and the first permanent settlements, and with more concerted study and attention to historical and prehistoric resources of all kinds (non-renewable supplies), it is not difficult to envisage something approaching the intended work . here the crossing of artificial national borders is proposed and properly coordinated with other efforts elsewhere, as well as balanced in other spheres of interest than just the original"Wliite exploration and settlement. There has been little thought about such planned efforts for areas of colonial settlement in Slovenia. In the near end time scale it can be said that almost nothing is yet available from actual archaeological studies of the first permanent settlements in the West, those that succeeded the major role once played by a commercial trading post, or the beginnings of modern industry itself.
Excavation and investigation of Fort Lookout Trading Post II (39LM57) at Fort Randall Reservoir, South Dakota.
