SECRETARY'S REPORT 93 



end by the smallpox epidemic of A.D. 1780. There is no documentaiy 

 evidence to this effect but human remains were strewn over the lodge 

 floors. The skeletons of at least 30 individuals were exposed in one 

 house, 8 in another, and there is evidence of additional skeletons in the 

 remaining lodges. Since the deaths do not appear to have been due to 

 violence, epidemic disease is inferred. In addition to the historic 

 component or components at the Larson site, there are indications of 

 an earlier Woodland occupation. 



Bowers also conducted a limited survey along the now eroding banks 

 of the Oahe Reservoir. A large collection of artifacts and bison bone 

 was secured from the Rygh (39CA4) and Bamble (39CA6) villages 

 where shoreline cutting has been extensive. Since the origin of these 

 materials can be localized within the respective sites, they will be ex- 

 ceedingly useful for comparative studies. The party completed work 

 on September 7 after 89 days in the field. 



At the beginning of the fiscal year a field crew of five men, directed 

 by Wilfred M. Husted, was excavating in the Yellowtail Reservoir 

 along the Big Horn River of southern Montana and northern Wyo- 

 ming. At the Mangus site (24CB221) , a small rock shelter on the left 

 bank of the river in Carbon County, Mont., three distinct occupation 

 levels were found, the most recent of which was Late Prehistoric. A 

 variety of artifacts was recovered here, including small triangular 

 projectile points with and without side notches, stone Imives, scrapers, 

 fragments of sewn hide, cordage, and basketry. The middle zone 

 carried obvious evidence of hmnan use, but artifacts were too few to 

 identify the nature of the occupation. The lowest level contained 

 Agate Basin points, knives, scrapers and a mortar and pestle. Sub- 

 sequently, a radiocarbon date of 1070 ±: 70 B.P. (A.D. 880) was 

 obtained from charcoal in a roasting pit found in the Late Prehistoric 

 level, and two dates, 8690 ± 100 B.P. (6740 B.C.) and 8600 ± 100 B.P. 

 (6650 B.C.) were secured from charcoal from the Agate Basin level. 



Three other rock shelters in the vicinity, the Ledge site (24BH 252) , 

 the Greene site (24BH 253), and site 24BH255, all in Big Horn 

 County, Mont., yielded artifacts of the Late Prehistoric Period. The 

 Red Earth site (24BH251), another small shelter, contained a Late 

 Prehistoric level, an unidentified occupation characterized by shallow, 

 circular firepits, numerous small flakes, a mano and knife fragments. 



Site 24BH 250, also in Big Horn County, Mont., was a small shelter 

 with the entrance barricaded with rocks and juniper branches. A 

 large fireplace outlined by rocks was intact on the surface, and below 

 it was another containing burned stones and associated with a tri- 

 angular projectile point. 



A large, shallow, rock-filled firepit was excavated at site 24BH257, 

 a small shelter formed by a large block fallen from the canyon wall. 



