Symbolism and Ritualistic Uses of the Bison Skull Among the Plains Indians of North America

Summary

Archaeological data show acts which may at first appear to involve merely the acquisition of food are, indeed, interwoven with spiritual beliefs and emotions. Bison kill sites have been investigated to gain information regarding hunting strategies and food appropriation. However, some of the sites have yielded additional information taking us beyond the procurement of food, widening our view to include religion, rituals and ceremonialism. The Cooper site (Bement 1999) offers early evidence of hunting ritual at a Folsom age (ca. 10,000 B.P.) bison kill site in the form of a red zigzag painted on the frontal bone of a bison skull. The Ruby site (Frison 1971), a Late Plains Archaic period bison pound, indicates the probable ritualistic function of a lenticular ceremonial structure. An arrangement of skulls at one end of the structure replicated the lens shaped form. The Vore site, a Late Prehistoric buffalo jump, supports the specialized treatment of skulls in several clearly circular ceremonial alignments, with most of the skulls exhibiting strikingly similar frontal openings of the brain cavity. This account will focus on ceremonial and ritualistic uses of bison skulls by addressing the following topics; 1) the importance of bison to Plains Indian subsistence, 2) rituals employing skulls and circles as sacred symbols, 3) ethnographic accounts of ritualistic practices involving bison skulls, 4) archaeological evidence for sacred uses of bison crania and 5) a detailed analysis of the Vore site skulls and their notable circular alignment. The combination of these topics should provide a unique and useful document for anyone conducting related studies in the future.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Wyoming Archaeologist 2003

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Marcia Peterson

File Information