Cooper Bison Kill Site
Encyclopedia
The Cooper Bison Kill Site is an archaeological
site near Fort Supply
in Harper County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. Located along the Beaver River
, it was explored in 1993 and 1994 and found to contain artifacts of the Folsom tradition
, including arrowheads. It is believed that these artifacts are the results of hunters killing bison in an arroyo
. The hunters of this culture found the site continuously useful; the known artifacts are believed to be the results of three different hunts.
The site has been dated to 10,900-10,200 BCE. In 2002, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
A unique find at the site was that of a Bison antiquus
skull, painted with a red zigzag. The Cooper Bison Skull is oldest known painted object in North America. The skull is currently in the collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
site near Fort Supply
Fort Supply, Oklahoma
Fort Supply is a town in Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 330 at the 2010 census.-History:Fort Supply, is a town established one mile West of Camp Supply, a United States Army post established on November 18, 1868 as a "Camp of Supply" for the winter campaign against the...
in Harper County
Harper County, Oklahoma
Harper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 3,685. The county seat is Buffalo.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located along the Beaver River
Beaver River (Oklahoma)
The Beaver River is the historic name for an intermittent river in Oklahoma that drains most of the Oklahoma Panhandle. It is also known as the North Canadian River. Both names are in common use. By one convention the headwaters of the Beaver River are at the convergence of the Corrumpa, Rafael,...
, it was explored in 1993 and 1994 and found to contain artifacts of the Folsom tradition
Folsom tradition
The Folsom Complex is a name given by archaeologists to a specific Paleo-Indian archaeological culture that occupied much of central North America...
, including arrowheads. It is believed that these artifacts are the results of hunters killing bison in an arroyo
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
. The hunters of this culture found the site continuously useful; the known artifacts are believed to be the results of three different hunts.
The site has been dated to 10,900-10,200 BCE. In 2002, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
A unique find at the site was that of a Bison antiquus
Bison antiquus
Bison antiquus, sometimes called the ancient bison, was the most common large herbivore of the North American continent for over ten thousand years, and is a direct ancestor of the living American bison....
skull, painted with a red zigzag. The Cooper Bison Skull is oldest known painted object in North America. The skull is currently in the collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum in Norman, Oklahoma, operated by the University of Oklahoma. It is currently housed in a building on Chautauqua Avenue that opened on May 1, 2000. The museum's exhibits include a Native American gallery and collections of...
.