In recent decades, archaeological investigations at both Sand Creek and the Washita have added physical evidence to the documentary record of what happened at these sites.

At Sand Creek, archaeological surveys conducted in preparation for the establishment of the National Historic Site identified physical evidence consistent with the documentary accounts of the massacre.

The distribution of cartridge cases and artifacts across the site was consistent with the survivors’ accounts of how the attack unfolded and how people fled.

At the Washita, similar archaeological work has helped clarify the physical layout of Black Kettle’s camp and the pattern of the attack.

The archaeological evidence is broadly consistent with the historical accounts but adds spatial specificity that documentation alone cannot provide.