pip. Na'lof ARCHEOLOGY AT KIPP'S POST — ^WOOLWORTH, WOOD 263 



upper portion of this pit was filled with clay, and the lower 0.2 foot 

 consisted of charcoal. 



Feature 45 was a basin-shaped pit 1.4 feet in diameter and 0.6 foot 

 in depth. The upper portion was filled with a mixture of burned earth 

 and charcoal. The bottom was filled with ash and charcoal, including 

 a large granite boulder. 



These features, though varying somewhat in form, each had char- 

 coal in their bases. Seemingly, they all may have served a similar 

 function. It is thought that they were used for the smoke tanning 

 of hides. Smiliar pits, but filled with charred corncobs, have been 

 found at Like-A-Fishhook Village (32ML2) . This technique of hide 

 tanning is reported for the Hidatsa (Hoffman, 1906, p. 456), and was 

 probably present among the Mandan. Archeological evidence (Wood, 

 MS. p. 51) indicates that it was practiced by the Arikara. 



LARGE TRENCHES 



Five large trenches (Features 12, 17, 20, 21, and 55) were within the 

 post enclosure ; these were parallel to the eastern and northern stock- 

 ade walls. They were generally long, narrow, shallow trenches and 

 contained few artifacts. 



A large, irregular pit (F-12) was inside the bastion in the north- 

 east corner of the enclosure. The walls of this pit were steep, and 

 curved sharply to a nearly flat bottom. The pit had a maximum 

 depth of 1.4 feet. A western extension of the pit was trenchlike in 

 appearance, and was narrow and elongated. It sloped gradually to 

 the surface at its westernmost extremity. The pit was filled with 

 burned earth and charred refuse. Though this pit may have orig- 

 inally had some function in connection with the bastion, its final 

 use was that of containing refuse. It was located in an out-of-the- 

 way part of the post enclosure, and if it were not necessary for the 

 defense of the trading post, would have provided an adequate refuse 

 disposal area. 



Feature 20, on the northern side of the enclosure, was located be- 

 tween the cabins. Features 62 and 63, and the northern stockade 

 trench. It was 24 feet long and 2 feet wide. Its depth varied from 

 2 to 2.5 feet. The eastern portion of this trench was undercut con- 

 siderably and expanded to about 4.5 feet in width; the bottom was 

 also deepened. This feature was filled with what appeared to be 

 kitchen refuse and ash. Many broken and burned animal bones were 

 recovered here, as well as clay pipe fragments, window-glass frag- 

 ments, and portions of a small cast-iron cannon. 



Three approximately rectangular trenches (Features 17, 21, and 

 55) were on the eastern side of the enclosure and parallel to the 

 stockade trench. They were shallow, averaging 0.8 foot deep, 1.7 



