4 - The University of Wyoming Investigations at the Horner Site

Abstract

This chapter reviews the investigations carried out at the Horner site by the University of Wyoming. The University Of Wyoming excavations at the Horner sites were the unexpected culmination of a series of events that began in 1968. Glen Jepsen, for whichever reasons, did not analyze and publish his results of the Horner site investigations. Bayard D. Rea, a Princeton-trained geologist living in Casper, Wyoming, who also has an interest in High Plains archaeology, was successful in establishing contacts between Jepsen and the writer with the purpose in mind that all parties involved could pool their efforts and expertise and eventually produce a meaningful final analysis and publication of the Horner site investigations. In August of 1968, Jepsen, Rea, and the writer met at the Horner site to look into this possibility. The subsequent transfer of property and the frequent acquisitions by collectors of Paleoindian projectile points resulted in the lack of any intact portion or portions of the Horner site from which new data might be collected. It was agreed by all the parties involved that a determined effort was needed toward the final goal of publishing the results of the site investigation. In the spring of 1977, the writer decided that further geological study of the Horner site area was needed largely because of a disagreement among geologists concerning the position of the Shoshone River at the time of the Horner site activities and the source of the sediments surrounding the bison bone. The chapter presents this study.