Jan underwood
For decades archaeologists accepted William Duncan Strong’s conclusion that the Cheyenne moved west from Minnesota and Wisconsin, stopping at Biesterfeldt before continuing on to Fort Yates and other places. But recent research indicates the Cheyenne migration could have been in the opposite direction.
Questioning Conventional Wisdom
Some 70 years ago the renowned archaeologist William Duncan Strong concluded that, in the late 18th century, the Cheyenne migrated west from Wisconsin and Minnesota. One of their first stops in this migration was Biesterfeldt, a site in North Dakota that’s being preserved by The Archaeological Conservancy. Though Strong’s conclusion held sway for decades, a recent investigation of Biesterfeldt refutes his ideas.
By Kristin Ohlson american archaeology
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