A Trading Center

With abundant bison herds and control over the valuable pipestone quarries 52 miles to the north, Blood Run/Good Earth was well positioned to become a trading center. Hides and scapula hoes from bison were two important products for trade. Pieces of pipestone large and small indicate the villagers processed slabs of the stone into finished products here. This pipestone could be made into tablets, pipes, and jewelry. In exchange for their goods, the residents received marine shells, copper, obsidian, European glass beads, and flint, among other items. As regional peoples gathered to trade, they naturally exchanged their knowledge, technical skills, stories, songs, and culture. The Big Sioux River eased travel to and from Blood Run/Good Earth. Some visitors may have used canoes or bull boats to get here. Others may have used the river valley for foot travel, knowing that the Big Sioux would always be a source of water and food. Fur traders and explorers may have heard of the villages but there is no evidence they visited here.

South Dakota · United States