Laserfiche WebLink
standing aspen trees (Plate 4). These two -to -five pole "leaners" have been designated as <br />"utility poles"— features common on protohistoric and early history Numic sites that were used <br />for a variety of purposes ranging from animal hide treatment, to jerking meat, to suspending <br />bedding, clothing, and horse tack off the ground. As there is no way to accurately date the <br />features, other than by possible association with the cartridge casings that were found on the <br />site, it is difficult to definitively assign an age, or even cultural affiliation. Two cartridge cases <br />from the late 1800's, another dating to the period from 1927 to the late 1950's and an aluminum <br />target arrow were found. <br />Feature 1 consists of two standing aspen poles leaning against the east side of a live, <br />standing aspen support tree. The fact that there is no evidence of additional poles, that they are <br />of different lengths, and that their bases are at different distances from the support tree, <br />suggests that these were not part of a wickiup frame. The poles range in length from 5.9 to <br />6.7m, and from 11 to 13cm in mid-pole diameter. The upper end of the longest pole is forked, <br />with one branch of the fork resting on either side of the support tree trunk. <br />Feature 2, located 12m to the northeast of Feature 1, consists of two standing aspen <br />poles leaning against the south side of a live, standing aspen support tree. Their bases are at <br />different distances from the support tree—one of the poles standing nearly vertical—suggesting <br />that these were not part of a wickiup frame. The poles range in length from 6.5 to 8.0m, and <br />from 7 to 9.5cm in mid-pole diameter. The upper end of the longest pole extends to the height <br />of the upper branches of the support tree. <br />Feature 3, located l Om to the northeast of Feature 2, consists of one standing and four <br />collapsed aspen poles. The standing pole is leaning against the west side of a live, standing <br />aspen support tree. Four additional aspen poles, and two dead -fall trees, rest on the ground <br />surface to the east of the standing pole and two other standing aspen trees. It appears likely that <br />these poles were originally incorporated as leaner -poles into the structure of Feature 3, however <br />it is difficult to ascertain the nature or original position of the feature, as the collapsed poles are <br />oriented on the ground in various directions. Therefore, the possibility exists that Feature 3 <br />represents the remnants of a now collapsed wickiup. The poles range in length from 5.3 to <br />7.0m, and from 6.5 to 12cm in mid-pole diameter. <br />Feature 4, located 7m to the northwest of Feature 3, consists of a fallen tree with a cross <br />beam that was tied horizontally across the two main branches with a rope made of hemp. The <br />feature likely served as a game pole for hanging deer or elk carcasses. The feature appears to <br />have been constructed while the tree was still standing, and has since fallen over. It appears to <br />be more modern, as indicated by the condition of the rope. <br />Artifacts recovered from the site include three cartridge cases (Plate 5). These were <br />identified and described by Phil Born, and the following summarizes his analyses. <br />20 <br />