Archaelogy Lab's Open HouseCourtesy SMMOn Youth Science Day, the KAYSC Heritage Crew joined the Archaeology Lab's open house, located behind the Dinosaur exhibit on the 3rd floor. There, archaeologists presented unique Oneota artifacts that were digged up in the 1959-1960 Sheffield Site excavation.
One of the interesting things that we learned is about the two garden hoes that were found on different two sites, St. Croix (Sheffield) and Red wing. Both are made from a animal shoulder blade and are used for the same purpose, but are not from the same local resources. One was made from a white-tailed deer at St. Croix (Sheffield) and the other was made from a bison at Red Wing. Does the Oneota have a connection with another tribe? Is this a sign of trade or technology exchange?
The most diagnostic trait of an Oneota population is probably the shell-tempered globular jar with a constricted orifice and a rounded bottom. Shoulder decoration often includes geometric patterns comprised of trailed lines, which are sometimes bordered by punctates. Chevrons and variations of the chevron theme appear to have been a common ceramic decorative motif during some time periods. Other artifacts common to Oneota, not all of which are unique to the culture, include: bone tools, most noticeably the bison scapula hoe and deer mandible sickle; small, unnotched triangular arrow points; end scrapers; sandstone abraders; mauls; catlinite disc and elbow pipes; and village areas marked by an abundance of storage pits. Houses were quite variable in shape, and include ovals, squares, and long rectangles.
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