Rock Legacy
Archaeologists are just beginning to unravel
the mysteries surrounding the ancient people who lived on the
many islands that are now part of the Tongass National Forest.
There is presently no way of knowing how old the symbols are
except by association with living sites or by comparing how the
designs may have evolved.
 Where to Look!
Pictographs are most often found in sheltered
rock overhangs or caves high above the waters edge where they
are protected from the weather.
Petroglyphs can be found near the coastline
at or below the high tide mark. Many times they are located close
to a salmon spawning stream where they face the open sea and
may have welcomed the return of the salmon people.
When we view these ancient pictures, we
are transported back in time to a world we can only know from
the stories the rocks reveal.
Rock Clues
The oldest rock drawings appear to have
been made by a maritime people who migrated here as early as
10,000 years ago. Archaeologists have found similar abstract
symbolsalong the coast of both Siberia and Alaska.
You Can Help
The next few years are crucial to the preservation
of rock art. Destruction can occur from both natural and human
causes. However, vandalism and theft continue to be the greatest
threat to the future of this important heritage resource. If
we deface or destroy a portion of the rock art, it is like tearing
pages from a great mystery novel.
Art On Rocks
Humans have painted or pecked designs on rocks or walls of caves
for thousands of years. The tales the symbols tell offer us a glimpse
into the lifestyle of an ancient people and how they adapted to the
world as they knew it.
A pictograph is a design painted on rock with pigments
made by mixing grease or salmon eggs with charcoal, clay, or other minerals.
A petroglyph is pecked or ground into the
surface of a rock.
Stories the Rocks
Tell
Long ago a Tlingit elder interpreted
this pictograph as showing how Raven created the world. |
