Mummy Cave, Archaeological site in Park County, Wyoming, US
Mummy Cave is a rock shelter carved into a volcanic cliff above the North Fork of the Shoshone River. The shelter extends roughly 40 feet (12 meters) back into the stone and sits at about 6,300 feet (1,920 meters) elevation.
Excavations between 1963 and 1965 uncovered 38 distinct layers of occupation at the site. These layers span from the Paleoindian period through the late Prehistoric era.
The name comes from human remains discovered at the site, reflecting its role as a shelter and workplace. Visitors can sense how this location served communities across many generations.
The site sits right beside U.S. Highways 14, 16, and 20, just near Yellowstone National Park's eastern entrance. Educational materials about the site's history and discoveries are available for visitors to learn more.
The shelter's exceptionally dry conditions have preserved organic materials like hides, feathers, and wood across thousands of years. This level of preservation is quite rare and makes the archaeological record here unusually detailed.
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