Cultural Resources

---

Rock shelter in the Bighorn Basin.

The area and lands administered by the Cody Field Office harbor a great variety of prehistoric and historic cultural resources. Cultural resources are usually defined as the remains of past cultures and activities, both prehistoric and historic, and may also include items of importance to contemporary people such as Native Americans. 

Prehistoric refers to information about people and events prior to the advent of writing. The period of prehistory differs around the world depending upon when written records became common in a region. Current evidence confirms that people were established in northern Wyoming beginning about 12,000 years ago, however some evidence suggests that human occupation of this area may have occurred significantly earlier.

History is the study of past events and times through the use of written and recorded sources, as well as oral sources. Historic in this context refers to the period after Europeans arrived in the North America.

The potential effect on cultural resources from any proposed land use activity that requires a decision or authorization by the Cody Field Manager, involves federal funds or requires a BLM permit, must be taken into consideration during BLM's decision-making process. A variety of laws, regulations, Executive Orders and governmental policy and directives govern this process.

• Cultural Resources in the Bighorn Basin

BLM Cultural Resource Links	Other Cultural Resource Links
BLM Wyoming Cultural Heritage National Historic Trails National Historic Trails Interpretive Center	Oregon California Trails Association (OCTA) Plains Anthropological Society Society for American Archaeology University of Wyoming Dept. of Anthropology Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office