Abstract
Patterns in the distribution of archaeological sites in the Little Missouri Badlands of North Dakota have previously been attributed to prehistoric cultural preference for certain landforms. These patterns include the concentration of Plains Archaic sites in upland settings and the predominance of Late Prehistoric sites in the alluvial lowlands. An understanding of Holocene stratigraphy provides new insights into these patterns, and other spatial/temporal aspects of the archaeological record. These insights in turn illustrate the need for comprehensive stratigraphic studies prior to the formulation of prehistoric settlement models in highly eroded environments. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.