Wolf Rock Cave

Wolf Rock Cave. . , Rivers and streams flowing across broad coastal plains 24-30 million years ago (during the Oligocene period) deposited sediments making up the Catahoula Formation. The Catahoula formation, found in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, consists of sandstones, sand, clays, and conglomerates. In Louisiana, the Catahoula Formation forms a belt across the central part of the state revealing that beaches and deltas were located 125 miles farther inland than today's coastline. This area is part of the Catahoula Formation and erosive processes created Wolf Rock Cave., Wolf Rock Cave is best described as two small rock overhangs overlooking Bundick's Creek. It is the only known rock shelter in Louisiana used by its early people. It was used during the Late Archaic time period, and dates to 2500-1000 BC. It was used primarily as a lithic procurement area, in which the Archaic people collected chert from the area to make tools. There is also some evidence from the archaeological record that this area was used as a small habitation, that is some Archaic people lived here for short periods of time., Archaic Indians, lived in small nomadic groups which roamed within a small geographic area. They were hunter- gatherers. The Archaic Indians fabricated stone tools and ornaments. They also made bone needles, awls fishhooks, beads, and hairpins; and antler alati hooks, handles and spear points. Less common objects were tortoise shell rattles and shell ornaments. They made baskets to carry and store seeds, roots, fruits, and nuts. They cracked nut shells with specially shaped stones, and ground nuts and seeds into meal with grinding stones. The Archaic Indians also made axes and chopping tools for cutting down trees and hollowing out tree trunks., All people leave traces of their activities wherever they cook, build houses, hold religious ceremonies, make tools, or dump their trash. If these traces are undisturbed, archaeologists can use them to determine who left them, when they were left, and what activities were associated with them. Wolf Rock Cave and all of Louisiana's archaeological sites deserve respect.