Officials from the Crow Tribe of Montana say a 2,000-year-old bison kill site was destroyed by a mining company.

The Sarpy Creek Bison Kill site was uncovered as Westmoreland Resources Inc. sought to expand the Absaloka Mine. The tribe owns the coal resources but never signed off on the excavation plan, according to cultural director Burton Pretty On Top.

"Permission was granted by Dale Old Horn by himself without telling the tribal chairman, without telling the cultural committee, and without telling the cultural director," Pretty On Top told The Great Falls Tribune, referring to Dale Old Horn, the former director of the tribe's historic preservation office.

The tribe and archaeologists are headed to the site today to investigate the damage.

Get the Story:
Officials: Ancient bison bone bed 'destroyed' (The Great Falls Tribune/USA Today 10/19)
2,000-year-old bison bone bed 'destroyed' on Crow Reservation, experts say [alternate link] (The Great Falls Tribune 10/19)