information guide

World Heritage Sites – an overview• In2006 there were only 12 other World Heritage Sites in Canada.

•ThehistoryofdesignatingWorldHeritageSitesgoesbackto1972. Recognizingthattheworld’sculturalheritageknowsnonationalboundaries,memberstatesofUNESCOunanimouslyformedaConventionfortheProtectionoftheWorldCulturalandNaturalHeritage,knownastheWorldHeritageConvention.

•TheWorldHeritageConventionprovidesaworldwidesystemofcooperationtoprotecttheworld’sheritagewithinapermanent administrativeframework.

•TheConventionmaintainsaWorldHeritagelistidentifyingtreasuressuchasmasterpiecesofhumanity’screativegenius,uniquewitnessesoflostcivilizations,naturalhabitatswherethreatenedspeciesofplantsandanimalsstillsurvive,andbeliefsthathaveleftastrongmarkonhumanity.

ForinformationonUNESCOseewww.unesco.org

world heritage sites

for more info

Head-Smashed-in

Buffalo Jump

Box 1977

Fort Macleod, Alberta

Canada T0L 0Z0

tel (403) 553 2731

fax (403) 533 3141

email

info@head-smashed-in.com

www.head-smashed-in.com

head-smashed-in buffalo jump is known around the worldforitsremarkable

testimonyofprehistoriclife.Thesitebearswitnesstoacustompracticedbynativepeopleofthe

NorthAmericanplainsatHSIBJfornearly6,000years.Thankstotheirexcellentunderstanding

oftopographyandofbisonbehavior,theywereabletokillbisonbydrivingthemoveraprecipice.

Carcasseswerecarvedupandprocessedinthebutcheringcampbelow.

In1981,theUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization(UNESCO)

designatedthejumpasaWorldHeritageSite,placingitamongotherworldattractionssuch

astheEgyptianpyramidsandtheGalapagosIslands.

Why is Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump a World Heritage Site?

• Somemeatwasmadeintopemmicanbyfirstsun-dryingit,thenpulverizingthedried

meatwithastonemaulandmixingthiswithbuffalofat.Toaddflavortopemmican,

fruitsuchaschokecherriesorsaskatoonberrieswasadded.Themixturewasthen

placedina‘parfleche’,arawhidecontainer,andpoundedtoremoveallairfromthe

food.Thismixture,whencarefullyprepared,remainedibleformanyyears.

•Longbeforetheyhadthehorse,thegunoreventhebow,Plains NativeTribeshuntedthebuffalo,drivingherdstotheirdeathoverthecliffsatHead-Smashed-InBuffaloJump.

•Buffalojumpingissuchasophisticatedhuntingtechniquethatmodernscienceisonlybeginningtounderstanditsworkings.

•Thehuntbeganwithaspiritualceremonyinwhichmedicinewomenandmenwouldgothroughdetailedritualstoensureasafeandsuccessfulhunt.

•Duringtheceremonies,the‘buffalorunners’weresenttolocateandherdtheanimals.Thesewereyoungmenwhopossessedskilltomovethebisonherds.

•Thebuffalorunners,disguisedunderanimalhides,wouldpassneartheherdsandtrytolurethemtowardthecliffs,usingtheirintricateknowledgeofbuffalobehavior.

• IngeniousV-shapeddrivelaneswereusedtochannelherdstothemostdangerouspointonthecliffs.Theselaneswereedgedwithrowsofstonecairnswhicharestillvisibletoday.Thelanessnaketheirwayacrossthecountryside,followingridges,crossingcouleesandrisingacrossthetopsofhighhills.

•Nearthecliffareaofthedrivelanes,peoplehidbehindbrushstuckintothecairnsandpreventedthebeastsfromstrayingbyshoutingandwavingbuffalohides.Huntersrushedfrombehind,panickingtheanimalsintoathunderingheadlongplungeoverthecliff.

•Afterfalling,manybuffalowereonlystunnedorwounded.Hunterswaitedbelowtheclifftokillthesurvivingbeasts.TheNativePeoplebelievedthatescapinganimalswouldwarnotherherdsofthedeadlytrap.

•Thekillbroughtasurplusofmeattofamiliesandclansparticipatinginthehunt.Thepeopledriedthemeat,madepemmican,extractedfatfromthebones,madetools,andtannedhides.Almosteverypartoftheanimalwasused.

buffalo jumping

?knowdidyou

Napi’sWorldLevel 1 orients the visitortothedelicateecologyoftheprehistoricplains;describesthegeography,climate,andvegetation;andintroducesthenativeaccountoftheoriginofpeopleandhowtheylearnedtohuntthebuffalo.

Napi’sPeopleLevel 2 provides an overviewofthelifestyleofthePlainspeopleandincludesreconstructionsofatipiand‘dogdays’travois,andanumberofartifactswhichvisitorsareencouragedtohandle.This‘handson’approachtointerpretationhasbeenakeyelementinthedevelopmentofdisplaysandprogramsthroughouttheCentre.

TheBuffaloHuntLevel 3 describes the use of jump sitesliketheoneatHead-Smashed-In,focusingonatopographicalmodelofthegatheringbasinanddrivelanesusedtodirectthestampedingherdtowardthecliff.Thespiritualandceremonialsignificanceofthehuntisalsoexplored.

Theatre ‘insearchofthebuffalo’,atenminutefilmdepictingtheIniskimCeremony.LocalBlackfootactorsre-createabuffalodriveandtheactivitiessurroundingajump.

CulturesinContactLevel 4 depicts the consequencesoftheintroductionofEuropeantradegoodsintheearly18thcentury.Thearrivalofthehorseandgunmarkedthepassingofthetraditionalbuffalohuntanddramaticallyalteredthenativebuffaloculture.Europeancontactbroughtepidemicsofforeignoriginthatnearlywipedoutthenativepopulation.

UncoveringthePastLevel 5 includes a film presentationofthearchaeologicalprogramatHead-Smashed-In.

the exhibits

• Itisestimatedthat60millionbuffaloroamedtheGreatPlainswhentheEuropeans

arrivedinNorthAmerica.

• TheHead-Smashed-Inareaaverage35Chinooksperyear,thehighestfrequencyin

Canada’schinookbelt.AChinookisthewarm,dry,westerlywindthatflowsoverthe

RockyMountainsandbringsrelieffromcold,snowywinterweather.?knowdidyou

Fire Exit

Upper Trail and Viewpoint

level 1 – Napi’s World

Fire Exit

Entrance/Fire Exit

Fire Exit

Fire Exit

To Lower Trail >

Theatre

level 4 – mezzanineCultures in Contact

level 2 – Napi’s People

level 3 – The Buffalo Hunt

Camp Site and Processing Area

Gathering Basin

Head-Smashed-In

Drive Lanes

Head-Smashed-In

Kill Site

Gathering Basin

Calderwood

Drive Lanes

Calderwood

Kill Site

Plaza

< to Lower Parking

to Lower Trail >

Elevator 1

Elevator 2

level 4 – Cafeteria

level 5 – Ground LevelGift Shop & Information

level 5 – Ground LevelUncovering the Past

To view the exhibits chronologically:follow the ‘Red Buffalo’ from Elevator 1 to Elevator 2 on Level 3. Take Elevator 2 and then two flights of stairs to reach the Upper Trail Viewpoint, then follow the exhibits moving downward from Napi’s World to Ground Level.

Follow the ‘Red Buffalo’

Interpretive Centre

the archaeology

• Buffalohornswerescrapedandformedintospoons.

• Buffalotongueswereoftengivetomedicinemenorwomen,whowereresponsiblefor

ensuringthesuccessofthehunt.

• PeterFidler,aHudson’sBayCompanytrader,wasprobablythefirstEuropeanexplorerto

visitthePorcupineHillsarea.Hetraveledtherein1792/93withabandofPeiganIndians.

•ThisWorldHeritageSiteisrichinprehistory.Boneandtoolbeds,nearlyelevenmetresthick,liebeneaththejump’ssandstonecliffs.

•TheoldestevidenceofhumansatHead-Smashed-InisrepresentedbytwoScottsbluffspearpoints,whicharebelievedtobe9,000years old.Thesepointsindicatethesitewasvisitedinearlyprehistorictimes,althoughthereisnoevidencethatbisonweredrivenoverthecliffbythemakersoftheearlyartifacts.

•Accordingtoradiocarbondatingofancientbones,thesitewasusedasabuffalojump5,700 yearsago–morethan500yearsbeforethefirstpyramidwasbuiltinEgyptandbeforeStonehengewaserectedinEngland.

•Head-Smashed-Inisjustonepartofacommunalkillsitecomplexwhichincludesanetworkofsophisticateddrivelanesusedtogatherherdsandlurethemtothecliffs.

•ThefirstarchaeologisttoinvestigatethesitewasJuniusBirdoftheAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistory in 1938.Sincethen,thesitehasseenfourmajorarchaeologicalprojects,betweenthelate1940s and early nineties.

•Atthebottomlayerofthekillsite,archaeologistshavefoundprojectilesusedduringtheMiddlePrehistoricPeriod.Thesetoolsarefromthe‘MummyCaveComplex’–crudeprojectilepoints,smallerthanspearheads,buttoolargetotiparrows.Thepointswereattachedtoadartthatwasthrownwithan‘atlatl’orthrowingstick.

•Duringtheperiodfromabout4,000 to 3,000 yearsago,thejumpappearstohavebeenabandoned.TherearenotoolsorbonedepositsdirectlyabovethoseattributedtotheMummyCaveComplex.Archaeologistsareuncertainwhythejumpwasnotusedatthistime.

•MostofthebonedepositsandartifactsrecoveredatHead-Smashed-IncomefromLatePrehistorictimes;thatis,duringthelast1,800 years.

•TheuppermostlayersatHead-Smashed-Incontainmetalarrowheads,indicatingthejumpwasusedinearlyhistorictimes.Asgunsandhorsesbecamecommonthelabour-intensivebuffalojumpsweresoonabandoned.

•Archaeologistshavealsostudiedsitesabovethecliffs.Therearepetroglyph,orrockcarvingareas,andvisionquestsiteswherebraveswouldgotocommunewiththespirits.Thesesitesarenotopentothepublic.

?knowdidyou

Interiorskylights over the ecological and buffalo jump displaysprovidenaturallight.

Thebuilding’sinteriorhasaseriesofterracesonwhichthedisplaysarearranged.

Elevatorsandstairstakevisitorstothetopofthebuildingwheretheycanoverlookthepanoramicplains.Stairsallowvisitorstodescendthroughtheexhibitsandtheatretothemainfloorandgiftshop.

Exteriorto give the impression the building was created by erosion, its exteriorcloselyresemblesthesurroundingrockoutcropsincolorandtexture.Thisthemeofsubduedsandstonehuesisreinforcedinsidethebuilding.

OutsidetheCentre,visitorscanwalktoaninterpretivenode,overlookingthejumpsite,ortakeawalkintheshadowofthecliffsonthelowertrail.

the architecture

• Duringthesummermonths,thebuffalo’shairisatitsshortest.Lodgecoversand

numerousotherarticlesweremadefromthesoft,dressedbuffaloskins.

• Oneortwoindividualanimals,usuallyfemales,ledthebuffaloherds.

• Naturaltopographicbarrierssuchascoulees,depressions,orhillsweresometimes

usedtofunnelbuffalotothejump.SuchisthecaseatHead-Smashed-In.

The unique $9.8 million visitor centre (1987 dollars) is a seven-tiered building buried in a large slump block, south of the jump sites.

ArchitectRobertLeBlond(ofLeBlondPartnership)designedtheCentre.Carefultonotdisturbthefragilearchaeologicaldeposits,contractorsremovedasectionofthecliff,builtamassiveconcretebox,andthenpulledtheearthandgrassbackoverthetopofthebuilding.

RobertLeBlondwaspresentedtheGovernorGeneral’sAwardfor Architecturein1990forhisdesign.

?knowdidyou

LocationHead-Smashed-InBuffaloJumpislocated18kmnorthandwestofFortMacleodonsecondaryHighway#785(SpringPointRoad),attheeasternedgeofthePorcupineHills,approximately100kmeastoftheRockyMountains.

HoursofOperationOpen year-round, seven days a week. 10am–5pm

Closed: ChristmasEve,ChristmasDay, NewYear’sDay,andEasterSunday

History1968–designatedaNationalHistoricSite1979–designatedaProvincialHistoricResource1981 – designated a World Heritage Site1982–May,ProvincialGovernmentapprovalforInterpretiveCentre1984–September28,groundbreakingceremony1985–June,startconstruction1986–October,finishconstruction1986–December,buildingoccupancy1987–July23,officialopeningwithHRHPrinceAndrewand PrincessSarahFerguson,theDukeandDuchessofYork.

the centre

FACILITIES

Theatre(80seats)

Cafeteria(60seats)

GiftShop

Over2kmofoutdoor

interpretivetrails

Wheelchairaccessible

services

ToursoftheCentre

withBlackfootGuides

Educationprograms

Tipicamping(seasonal)

PARkING

Cars:120stalls

Trailers/RV’s:30stalls

Buses:6stalls

DIMENSIONS

Site:1,270acres

Building:2,400 m²

Publicareas:1,850 m²

Displayareas:568 m²

COSTTOBuILD

9.82 million in 1986

CONTACT

Box1977

FortMacleod,Alberta

CanadaT0L0Z0

tel (403) 553 2731

fax (403) 533 3141

email info@head-smashed-in.com

www.head-smashed-in.com