Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is a protected area by the type of National Monuments in the north of the U.S. state of Texas. It preserves the sites of flint in the hills above the Canadian River. The National Monument was established in 1965 reported. It is managed by the National Park Service as part of the adjacent Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and is only accessible on guided tours by rangers and therefore has only a small number of visitors.

The area was archaeologically investigated and has both funding agencies and processing places and about ordinary living and resting places and hunting camp. The name Alibates refers to a cowboy Allen ( Alie ) Bates - the mid 19th century on a creek - had settled now Alibates Creek.

Flint mining

In the north of present-day Texas can be found at various places outcrops of flint, but in the mesas on the Canadian River of Stone achieves the best quality. Because he is very striking color, finds in the entire Great Plains and in the Southwest could be assigned to deposits of Alibates. Alibates Flint was collected before about 13,000 years ago and made into blades and other tools. The members of the Clovis culture produced its characteristic projectile points ( Folsom and Clowis ) part from the local flint. Arrowheads were made by the Plains Indians until circa 1870 from the flint in the area.

First well was used the material lying on the surface. As these supplies are running out went had to be " mined " the flint. The flint was recovered by hand from small pits with rarely more than 2 m in diameter. To find unweathered graves who had to penetrate up to three meters thick dolomite layers 30-50 cm below the surface. The pits were usually only between a good and nearly three meters can be used for almost 700 small mines were alone on the largest table mountain, which is the current national monument opened. To the pits around the tees and the excavated material are visible due to the dry climate today.

Farming culture

In the period from 1200 to 1450 allowed a climatic variation - combined with an increase in annual rainfall - the generation and spread of agriculture. Found in the investigated settlement sites of the Plains Village Indians along the Alibates Creek ( roasted ) grains and beans delivered C14 data to determine the age of these finds. As living conditions worsened again, tried the Indians still claiming through increased attention to hunting in this area, as it had been taught for thousands of years to adapt the previously settled in this area people, but now coming urged other tribes from the north, their territory, the Plain Village Indians were displaced. 1540 met the Spaniard Coronado on his expedition into this area to Indians who disassembled buffalo meat with flint blades. Since the 16th century, the Pawnee and Hidatsa had extended their hunting grounds to the south. These inhabitants lived by hunting, food particles and ceramic shards found also demonstrate an intense trade with import of grain, poultry and tobacco from the area of the lower Mississippi River, New Mexico and Arizona. Trade with the coveted Firestone - mostly arrowheads and tools ( blades) trimmed - enabled the continuous settlement of the area outside the traditional hunting season. Only in the 19th century, when the settlers also claimed in the northern parts of Texas with the support of the U.S. military, the Indian population disappeared from this area.

Tourism Offers

Funds under management by the park administration terrain is traversed in several hours marches, in this case the located in a magnificent natural landscape of settlements and hunting camp of the Pawnees and Hidatsa are controlled and reported knowledge about the life of the Indians. With a practical demonstration of elementary treatment techniques flint blanks are demonstrated.