While there is trend of outdoor enthusiasts stacking rocks at mountain peaks, lookouts and along trails, the placement of rocks to mark the landscape is much more significant in archaeology. Modification of the landscape, using rocks was part of a resource extraction strategy for small group and communal hunting of large game.
There are numerous examples of communal hunting areas throughout the landscape in many countries. In Canada, a notable example is Estipah-skikikini-kots (Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the lands of the Blackfoot. This communal hunting location of Siksika, Kainai and Peigan peoples was utilized for over 6,000 years until the buffalo herds were decimated in the 1880’s by colonial government policies and over hunting by settlers. At this site, communal hunting of buffalo during pre-contact times was managed through knowledge of animal migration patterns, the use of natural landscape features (cliffs and gullies), and the strategic placement of stacked rock cairns and stacked rock walls that limited the animal’s path and drove the herds to the cliff edge. Once at the cliff edge, there was a 10 metre drop to the awaiting hunters who would complete the hunt. Near the base of the cliff edge, was a large encampment where the meat was processed and dried for winter storage. The bison carcass was also used for a variety of purposes, from tools made from the bone, to the hide used to make dwellings and clothing. This work required a communal effort to drive the herd, process the meat and share the successful hunt amongst the hunters and the families.
A descriptive map of Estipah-skikikini-kots showing the gathering basin where buffalo would graze, the drive lanes lined with piled rocks, the jump site at the cliff edge, and the processing area
At Estipah-skikikini-kots, the stacking of rocks in linear rows and the piling of rocks into cairns created visible obstacles for the herd which directed their movement to the cliff edge. In other locations, rocks were stacked to create hunting blinds where small groups hunters would position themselves during animal migrations or in grazing locations. In a similar method of hunting as game drives, stacked rock hunting blinds provided a place for hunters to wait while other hunters drove the game toward the hunting blinds. Stacked rock hunting blinds in Lil’wat Territory provides an example of areas used for goat and deer hunting.
Johnny Jones , a Lil’wat Cultural Technician in one of 5 hunting blinds used for hunting goats and deer in Lil’wat Territory. Photo used with permission from Johnny Jones.
Stacked rock hunting blinds are well documented in the oral knowledge shared by hunters in many communities and detailed in the ethnographic records. While the physical remains of hunting blinds and their location can be documented by archaeologists, there is more to understand hunting blinds than just identifying the stacked rocks formations. Knowing when to hunt, understanding animal migration patterns and animal behaviour as well as how to butcher and preserve the hunt were all part of the knowledge system. The archaeology at these types of locations is complex since the site includes the camp, hunting and processing tools as well as the modifications of the landscape with stacked rocks.
An example of a stacked rock hunting blinds from the Olsen Site in the southern Rocky Mountains. Four hunting blinds are visible in this alpine location. This area is part of an archaeological complex of 12 sites for hunting elk and big horn sheep. (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Representative-example-of-a-hunting-blind-at-the-Olson-site-Blind-located-in-the_fig12_257453682)
The next time you consider stacking rocks to leave your mark on the land, remember that enjoying the natural beauty of an area means to leave no trace. Also consider that the rocks you are moving may be part of an archaeological site that should not be modified.
Alysha Edwards is an Indigenous archaeologist and graduate student at the University of Montana. Nadine Gray is a Kamloops based archaeologist and sessional instructor at TRU.