In many ways, Wyomingites have a lot in common with their prehistoric ancestors — fiercely independent, adaptable to harsh environments and adept hunters.
Now we know more than ever about those ancient peoples called Paleoindians after an exhaustive 10-year effort to compile 5,000 years of Wyoming’s prehistory into an information-loaded 400 pages.
“Paleoindian Heartland: An Archaeological Synthesis of Wyoming’s First Peoples” is the latest of several historical tomes called a context published by the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office.
A thematic context is an extensive book, article, or report that provides background information on a field of study in a specific geographic area.
The Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office has several covering military history and sites, homesteading, irrigation, transportation routes and other historical information in Wyoming.
The Paleoindian Heartland is the first and most comprehensive synthesis of knowledge about Wyoming’s prehistoric people. It covers over a century of sites and studies representing Wyoming’s Paleoindian period, which spans from 8,000 to 13,000 years ago.
“In my experience, Wyomingites are very engaged with history and archaeology,” said Gwendolyn Kristy of the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office. “People really care about this stuff, and this context will let people engage with the depth of human history in Wyoming. It’s an important place where people have lived for a long time.”
A Decade For 13,000 Years
Brigid Grund dedicated a decade to assembling the Paleoindian Heartland history. Although several archeologists contributed to the 423-page document, Grund was the driving force behind its synthesis and research.
“I started working on it as a graduate student at the University of Wyoming and carried it with me through the series of jobs I had after that,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “Folks in all kinds of different agencies that I worked for after that saw the importance of the work and supported its completion.”
Between starting and publishing the context, Grund has earned her Ph.D. and started a family. She now works for the National Park Service’s Intermountain Archaeology Program.
Grund described the substance of her effort as “a lot of reading and synthesizing information.” She read hundreds of papers and books, combed through private archives, and interviewed dozens of archaeologists to get all the information she could to complete the immense task.
Kristy said this context is a “multiple-property document.” It was prepared for the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office and reviewed by the Wyoming Department of State Parks & Cultural Resources and the National Park Service.
“Brigid is the real expert,” Kristy said. “I facilitated the process, and several archaeological experts contributed to this context, but she’s the author who put it all together.”
A History Of A History
The Paleoindian Heartland context is a history of a history. The purpose of a context is to be a professional resource and public asset, covering not only the history of people and events but the history of the archaeologists who studied it all.
“It provides all the background information on all Paleoindian archeology that has ever been done in Wyoming, while simultaneously laying out the chronology, the types of artifacts, where you might find these sites, and the relative importance of these sites and artifacts compared to one another.”
Grund said the greatest accomplishment of the context is the synthesis of her peers’ and predecessors' immense academic contributions. This unprecedented effort has gathered vast amounts of information on Wyoming’s Paleoindian period in a single document.
“One example is the compiled radiocarbon dating,” she said. “Archaeologists talk about radiocarbon years, but not as a linear timeline that makes sense to our human brains.”
Through her work, Grund collected and organized all the radiocarbon dating collected from Wyoming’s Paleoindian research. That resulted in a comprehensive timeline for the entire Paleoindian period in calendar years.
“Having that timeline, all together in one place with all of the dates listed and where they came from, will not only be a useful tool for archeologists,” she said. “It actually means something to us as people.”
The context includes the Paleoindian chronology, a historiography of the earliest archaeological studies in Wyoming, a discussion of ethics and theories in the field, and recommendations on research and unanswered questions for future archaeologists to undertake.
Wyoming’s most significant archaeological sites are explored in depth, as are the important archaeologists who dedicated their lives to studying prehistoric lives and cultures. The history of Wyoming’s Paleoindians is revealed through the chronologies of excavations and research undertaken thousands of years after they disappeared.
“The context helps us piece together a fuller and more comprehensive picture of how Paleoindians lived and how and why that picture changed over time. A lot of assumptions about their history were passed down from one generation of archaeologists to the next. Now, we know how much of those assumptions are supported by evidence.”
Grund was forced to confront her own biases as a professional archeologist during her decade of work. She hopes the current and next generation of archaeologists will also recognize and challenge their preconceptions when confronted with this synthesis of history and research.
“Bringing all this information together helps us wrap our minds around it,” she said. “We can think about it in a new, more holistic way.”
Beginnings, Endings, And What’s In Between
The Paleoindian Heartland context isn’t a bedside page turner. While it contains a wealth of fascinating information, it’s been formatted and published primarily as a resource for professional archaeologists and historians.
Historical contexts are essential tools for preserving historical and archaeological sites. Kristy said this context will help archaeologists evaluate new Paleoindian sites and eventually add them to the National Register of Historic Places.
“Wyoming has several Paleoindian sites on the National Register, like Hell Gap and the Cody Complex” she said. “The context includes a chapter that will help future archaeologists evaluate whether or not a site should be on the National Register.”
Nevertheless, both Kristy and Grund believe the people of Wyoming will find great value in the context. Amidst the technical jargon and data, several compelling histories, stories, and important discoveries are chronicled within its pages.
“There are photographs of important sites going back decades and from the present,” Grund said. “Some of these images have never been published before. I think a lot of the context, particularly the introductions and conclusions of each chapter, will be of great value to the public. There’s something for everyone inside.”
Histories In Context
After a decade of intense effort, the publication of Paleoindian Heartland: An Archaeological Synthesis of Wyoming’s First Peoples is an immense achievement for Grund. However, she’s happy to rest on her laurels for the foreseeable future.
“I don’t have another major book in the works,” she said. “I'm focusing on my duties with the National Park Service and supporting the good cultural work that's going on in national parks across the Intermountain Region.”
Meanwhile, Kristy is shepherding the development of more Wyoming historical contexts.
Archaeologist Judy Wolf is working on a context of Wyoming’s stone circles, such as the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark near Lovell. National Register coordinator Casey Worcester is working on a context of the history of African Americans in Wyoming.
“Contexts are essential for evaluating and documenting our historical and archaeological sites appropriately,” she said. “We’re constantly working on new contexts and providing that information to the people of Wyoming. The Paleoindian Heartland context is so exciting because it shows how long people have been living here and what we've learned about them."
Grund’s Paleoindian Heartland context and several others can be downloaded for free on the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office’s website. That, for Grund, is one of the most valuable aspects of the effort.
“I'm so delighted that everyone's hard work and dedication has finally paid off,” Grund said. “I put a lot of work into it, but so many people contributed their time, effort, knowledge, and funding to make this a reality. And the fact that it’s freely available to the public is a reason to celebrate. I think it has a lot more value that way.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
