On-Site Public Interpretation of Bison Kill Sites

Summary

Translating professional archaeological research into meaningful educational experiences for the public has taken on increased urgency in recent years. Several archaeologically investigated ancient bison kill sites in North America, located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Texas, have an on-site public interpretive facility. The experiences at seven of these sites in moving from archaeological research to developing a public interpretive center are chronicled in a recently published book entitled "Pisskan: Interpreting First Peoples Bison Kills at Heritage Parks" (edited by Leslie B. Davis and John W. Fisher, Jr., The University of Utah Press, 2016). Each case study followed its own unique path. Shared perceptions come through on certain issues pertaining to public education. These includes the importance of conveying to the public that archaeological method and theory change through time, and that the same body of evidence is open to alternative interpretations. Debate among archaeologists is healthy and engenders advances in knowledge and understanding. This presentation conveys perspectives of archaeologists who have been deeply involved in public education at on-site interpretive centers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Assessment in Archaeology Education: Project Archaeology Research

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16031