Elk Antler Pyramid

Description

In July 1833, between Forts Union and McKenzie, the travelers stopped to examine a remarkable pyramid of elk antlers on the prairie. The ground in all directions was littered with antlers cast off during the bulls' annual shedding. Each Blackfeet hunting party that had passed this place had collected antlers and added them to an ever growing mound. Sometimes the antler tines were marked with red paint to indicate the number in the party By the time Maximilian saw this pyramid it had grown to an impressive size, standing over fifteen feet high and containing more than a thousand antlers. It was intended as a charm to insure successful hunting. Vignette XXI of the atlas of aquatints shows a similar scene with running elk instead of human figure.