INITIAL MIDDLE MISSOURI IN WESTERN SOUTH-DAKOTA - A SUMMARY

Recent fieldwork has led to the identification of several Initial Middle Missouri sites in western South Dakota. These sites appear to fit the historic period model of seasonal excursions from the Middle Missouri villages to the west for hunting and lithic resource procurement. The relatively low number of identified Initial Middle Missouri sites in western South Dakota may be a function of finding pottery in sites, not in the actual number of Initial Middle Missouri sites. The issue is raised of the failure to identify Plains Village sites off-trench, when these sites do not contain ceramics.