Storied,Stones,Prehistoric,Roc education Storied Stones - Prehistoric Rock Art of Montana

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I am fascinated by pictographs and petroglyphs. Are they 10,000 yearold graffiti or a sacred magical symbolic code, a treasure map, ahistorian’s guide book in storied stone?In 1806, while on theirhistoric journey across Montana, the Lewis and Clark Expeditionencountered several signs of the first inhabitants of this great land.Pictographs and petroglyphs were inscribed on rock faces by the tribesthat lived in this area as well as nomadic tribes that followed thebison herds across the Great Plains. From Clark's Journal “. . .on theface of this rock the figures of animals”.To an archaeologist there is a distinct difference between pictographsand petroglyphs. Pictographs are intricate designs painted on a hardsurface, petroglyphs are chiseled or carved into the rock surface.Cave walls and cliff faces bear witness to the travels, hunts andbrave deeds of prehistoric hunters and their historic American Indiancounterparts that inhabited the caves sporadically for a period ofnearly 10,000 years. These early residents of Montana left behind arich legacy of artifacts and painted images that many feel have magicalsignificance; evocative and mystical, they fire our imagination andconnect us with our past.Distinctive remnants of the past can be viewed along the Sun River,the Smith River, in the Little Bear Mountains, the Lewis and ClarkNational Forest and in numerous other historic locations acrossMontana. Kila, Montana, near Kalispell is another site of exceptionalrenderings of warriors, buffalo and tribal culture. At Kila there aretwo sites with hundreds of images. Hellgate Canyon, a narrow passagefrom the Missoula Valley to the plains is an impressive viewing ofIndian petroglyphs that grace the canyon walls. In neighboring northernIdaho, extensive storied stones are found on the shores of Lake PendOreille.Most of the American Indian tribes of Montana created forms of rockart. Anthropological researchers interpret many of the drawings to be atype of calendar to mark important dates, documentation of successfulhunts and drawing of battles or acts of courage. A hand print is one ofthe most common markings to signify the creator, similar to ourpractice today of signing our signature. These early artists wouldplace their hand against a rock and then using a reed or a hollowfeather, blow liquid dyes around the hand to trace its outline.These early tribal artists also used delicate brushes made fromfeathers, twigs, animal hair and small bones. Many paintings have beeninscribed with sharpened etching tools. Pigments were made from crushedminerals, clays and charcoal mixed with animal fats, plant extracts andblood.Many of the paintings were made to seek favor from the gods, toprotect the tribe and by telling their stories, educate the young.Located about 13 miles from Billings, Montana Pictograph Cave StatePark documents life before Native Americans or the White man everstepped foot on the land that is now Montana.The drawings at Pictograph State Park are believed to be over 2000years old. Over 30,000 artifacts that tell about prehistoric life,hunting and social structure have already been recovered from thisamazing site. The images of warriors, wildlife and tribal rituals tella complex story of life thousands of years ago. The paintings are opento interpretation. We will never know exactly what happened those manyyears ago, but the rock art gives us a glimpse into to the culture ofprehistoric man. The two main caves - Pictograph and Ghost Cave werehome to generations of prehistoric hunters. Middle Cave does notreflect signs of inhabitation.Scientists also exhumed the skeletal remains of at least nine peoplein and about the area around the caves. This included one unfortunateindividual who had been crushed by falling boulders. Several of thehuman bones recovered from Pictograph Cave State Park have the sameteeth and burn markings as bison bones found in the caves. These burnand bite marks have lead anthropologists to speculate that theseprehistoric residents practiced cannibalism.During the early 1900’s many people were aware of the “Indian Caves”as they were located along a frequented route between Billings and thetown of Coburn located on the Crow Indian Reservation. The curiouswould often stop and explore the caves and rest for a while on theirjourney. A cold, fresh water spring and welcome shade made the caves apopular camping spot for travelers.Although decades of people living around Billings were familiar withthe caves, they did not gain real notice until 1936 when a group ofamateur anthropologists unearthed deposits of prehistoric artifacts inthe cave floor. In 1937 the Montana Highway Commission acquired thesite to preserve this impressive part of history for future generations.Another remote area in southern Montana holds a wealth of storiedstone. Weatherman Draw, also known as the “Valley of The Chiefs”, a twomile stretch of history, hides numerous multicolored depictions ofpeople, shields and animals which scientists believe are over 1000years of age. The mystical depictions are considered the best-preservedexamples of rock in the High Plains. More than 10 Indian tribes holdthe area sacred. Threatened by oil drilling in in the late 1990’s, thesite is now preserved under a donation to the National Trust forHistoric Preservation.