Rare Archaeological Discovery! Did Native Americans Hunt Bears in this Cave?

Come along with my friends Vello, Angel, and me as we set out to explore a cave in Franklin County, Tennessee, after work on a Wednesday afternoon.

Jason and I first heard about this cave in 2015 when a few Sewanee University students reached out to us. They had recently discovered it and wanted to learn how to survey, so we helped train them in surveying and mapping techniques. During the process of surveying the cave, we realized that it holds significant archaeological value as several projectile points, dated to the Late Archaic period, were found both at the entrance and deeper inside the cave. In addition, there were two distinct areas where small fires had been built inside.

Adding to the story, we discovered over a dozen large bear wallows, clear evidence that bears once used the cave as a hibernation site. Scattered throughout the cave were also several fascinating fossils, offering yet another glimpse into the cave’s deep history.

All of this raises an intriguing question: Did Native Americans use this cave to hunt bears? I think so, let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Join us underground as we retrace those discoveries, look at the evidence firsthand, and piece together the story this cave has been waiting to tell.