Maynes Creek Chert
What can we learn about the indigenous people of Iowa from the artifacts found in Hardin County?
Understanding the material that was used to make artifacts helps us know a lot about the indigenous people who lived here.
Transcript
(An historical, black and white photograph of a Native American family - A father, a small child and a mother.)
[Abby Brown] A long time ago, before history was even written down, Native Americans were living and working right here in what we now call Iowa. This museum has one of Iowa's largest collections of artifacts to prove it.
(Map marking Hardin County in the central region of the state.)
Inside the Calkins Nature Center in Iowa Falls, there's a Native American and Natural History Museum. And this is where visitors can check out thousands of artifacts, some dating back to 10,000 years old.
(Native American instrumental music)
A local collector discovered many of these artifacts in the area.
(Trays of multi-colored stone arrowheads.)
He worked with an archeologist to verify the items. Handwritten maps were made and notes were taken to document artifact discoveries. Points on spears, Atlatl and arrows were used mostly for hunting.
(An Atlatl - a small spear that appears to be hand held with a hook like arrow head, In the center of the spear is a rectangular flat piece. At the bottom of the spear is a rope tied like a bowtie.)
Understanding the material that was used to make those points helps us know a lot about the indigenous people who lived here.
Along the Iowa River, which runs through Hardin County, there's a rock called Maynes Creek Chert. Many of the points and other tools on display here are made from that chert. So we can conclude that they were crafted by Native Americans in this area.
This museum also has displays illustrating how indigenous tribes migrated and how their lives changed over time. Going from nomadic or moving around, to having a more permanent spot to live. Humans have lived in Iowa for thousands and thousands of years. The people who currently live here, mainly European settlers, have only been in our state for a couple hundred years. It's not as easy to find written documentation about ancient histories compared to more modern times. And that's why these artifacts are so important. They help tell the story of who the first people in Iowa were and how they lived.
Every county in Iowa has an ancient history to dig up. The artifacts on display in Hardin County give us a peek into the Native American history of our state.
Funding for FIND Iowa has been provided by The Coons Foundation, Pella and the Gilchrist Foundation.