The
buffalo jump was used for 5,500 years by the
indigenous peoples of the plains to kill
bison by driving them off the cliff. Before the late introduction of horses, the
Blackfoot drove the bison from a grazing area in the
Porcupine Hills about west of the site to the "drive lanes", lined by hundreds of
cairns, by dressing up as coyotes and wolves. These specialized "buffalo runners" were young men trained in animal behavior to guide the bison into the drive lanes. Then, at full gallop, the bison would fall from the weight of the herd pressing behind them, breaking their legs and rendering them immobile. The cliff itself is about long, and at its highest point drops into the valley below. The site was in use at least 6,000 years ago, and the bone deposits are deep. After falling off the cliff, the injured bison were finished off by other Blackfoot warriors at the cliff base armed with spears and clubs. The carcasses were then processed at a nearby camp. The camp at the foot of the cliffs provided the people with everything they needed to process a bison carcass, including fresh water. The bison carcass was used for a variety of purposes, from tools made from the bone, to the hide used to make dwellings and clothing. The importance of the site goes beyond just providing food and supplies. After a successful hunt, the wealth of food allowed the people to enjoy leisure time and pursue artistic and spiritual interests. This increased the cultural complexity of the society. In
Blackfoot, the name for the site is . According to legend, a young Blackfoot wanted to watch the bison plunge off the cliff from below, but was buried underneath the falling animals. He was later found dead under the pile of carcasses, where he had his head smashed in.
World Heritage Site Head-Smashed-In was abandoned in the 19th century after European contact. The site was first recorded by Europeans in the 1880s, and first excavated by the
American Museum of Natural History in 1938. It was designated a
National Historic Site in 1968, a
Provincial Historic Site in 1979, and finally a
World Heritage Site in 1981 for its testimony of prehistoric life and the customs of aboriginal people. ==Interpretive centre and museum==