RIVER BASIN SURVEYS — F. H. H. ROBERTS 365 



in a cluster. The houses did not have a well-defined fireplace basin, 

 and there was no particular pattern to the location of middens or pits 

 throughout the general village area. The pottery occurring at such 

 sites is not plentiful and for the most part represents a rather simple 

 type. The artifacts also do not show as much variety as those from 

 Upper Republican sites and for the most part appear to be implements 

 used for hunting and gathering. Bone beads were very common and 

 there were other objects made of bone. Shell was also used for the 

 manufacture of ornaments. The economy was mainly based on 

 hunting and food gathering. Deer and antelope bones are plentiful, 

 and while there are some from bison they are not so common. Large 

 numbers of bird bones indicate considerable dependence upon small 

 game. In general the Woodland sites do not indicate as permanent 

 an occupancy as those of the Upper Republican Aspect. Wliile no 

 definite stratigraphic evidence was obtained, the general feeling is 

 that the Woodland sites are older. It is not possible at this time to 

 correlate the Upper Republican remains with any of the known 

 tribes such as the Dakota, Pawnee, or Comanche, but this may be 

 done later. Remains of that culture are believed to date from about 

 A. D. 1200 to 1500. Because of the seeming affinities of the sites which 

 are considered a Woodland variant, they have been dated tentatively as 

 belonging to the general period A. D. 500 to 1200 (Kivett, 1949). 



At another location in the Missouri Basin, the Oahe Dam site just 

 north of Pierre, S. Dak., the remains of an extremely significant vil- 

 lage were excavated. The village, called the Dodd site, lay in the path 

 of the approach channel for the dam, and it was necessary to make 

 investigations there early in the construction program. The excava- 

 tions at that locality constitute the largest project thus far completed 

 along the main stem of the Missouri River. The remains of 21 earth 

 lodges, 27 cache pits, and 16 miscellaneous features were uncovered 

 there. Unexpectedly three types of houses were found, with definite 

 stratigraphic evidence for a sequence of the various forms. Tliere 

 were circular earth lodges and two types of rectangular earth lodges. 

 The latest structures at the site unquestionably were the circular ones. 

 The oldest of the rectangular lodges apparently were the smaller ex- 

 amples which had a somewhat different pole arrangement from the 

 larger ones. It has not been definitely established as yet, but it 

 appears fairly certain that the circular houses are attributable to the 

 Arikara. The rectangular ones have not been tribally identified. 

 Numerous cache pits were found in association with the various house 

 remains and from the refuse which many contained several tliousand 

 specimens were recovered. Artifacts were also found on the floors of 

 many of the structures. The material consists of potsherds and stone, 

 bone, shell, and metal artifacts. Analysis of the specimens as well as 



