The Canadian landscape is adorned with rock carving Alberta created by the Blackfoot tribe. Carved into the rocks are a variety of animals such as wolves, buffalo, bears, snakes, and birds. More than that, there are intricate geometric shapes showing that these rock outcroppings were regarded as sacred sites, and were used for meditation and worship.
There are more than the inscriptions in the stones; however. There are also intricate and beautiful cave paintings found upon the stones, done with the mineral red ocher mixed with the fat of animals hunted by the tribesmen. These paintings are still clinging to the cliffs, preserved against all odds, for thousands of years.
This form of art is created by etching the sandstone with harder stones, bones, and later pieces of metal. Sandstone was probably used because it is softer than other rocks in the area, but the art work has lasted a surprisingly long time. Even with the erosion of wind and rain, these pieces remain as a testament to an ancient way of life.
These people felt a strong attachment to the spiritual realm, and they regarded spirit to be as real and as important as the physical world. They held a strong notion that animals were also strong spiritual beings. When they sketched animals, it is possible that they were giving honor the spirits of the animals that they killed to feed their people.
The ancestors of these people continue to feel a strong connection with the spiritual realm, and these carvings are a treasure to them. It connects them to those who came before in a way that many Westerners cannot fully understand. It is their history literally written in stone.
It is believed that some of these carvings are as much as three thousand years old. However, there are some etchings which appear to be much more recent, perhaps being created around the Sixteenth century. There are carvings of guns, horses, and other more modern aspects of their history.
It is an unfortunate reality that many of these pieces of ancient art have been destroyed by careless individuals. Clear-cutting forests in order to build structures has destroyed more ancient artifacts than the world can ever really know. Anyone who finds items of archaeological significance on their property, or on a property they are working on, need to put a stop to any destruction in order to preserve the site.
The Canadian government, in response to some extremely unfortunate recent episodes of vandalism, have passed stringent laws to prevent these art works from being defaced. Anyone who is caught vandalizing such a site can be fined as much as fifty thousand dollars, and may even spend some time in jail. These sites are still being studied, as scientists still have not finished translating their meanings.
The natives of the North American countries have a strong interest in preserving all these sites, including the rock carving Alberta. This is something that absolutely must be saved for future generations to study and reflect upon. North America contains some of the best preserved examples of tribal life, and people throughout the world feel a great connection to it. Everyone has ancestors who were part of a hunter-gatherer tribe at some point in history.
There are more than the inscriptions in the stones; however. There are also intricate and beautiful cave paintings found upon the stones, done with the mineral red ocher mixed with the fat of animals hunted by the tribesmen. These paintings are still clinging to the cliffs, preserved against all odds, for thousands of years.
This form of art is created by etching the sandstone with harder stones, bones, and later pieces of metal. Sandstone was probably used because it is softer than other rocks in the area, but the art work has lasted a surprisingly long time. Even with the erosion of wind and rain, these pieces remain as a testament to an ancient way of life.
These people felt a strong attachment to the spiritual realm, and they regarded spirit to be as real and as important as the physical world. They held a strong notion that animals were also strong spiritual beings. When they sketched animals, it is possible that they were giving honor the spirits of the animals that they killed to feed their people.
The ancestors of these people continue to feel a strong connection with the spiritual realm, and these carvings are a treasure to them. It connects them to those who came before in a way that many Westerners cannot fully understand. It is their history literally written in stone.
It is believed that some of these carvings are as much as three thousand years old. However, there are some etchings which appear to be much more recent, perhaps being created around the Sixteenth century. There are carvings of guns, horses, and other more modern aspects of their history.
It is an unfortunate reality that many of these pieces of ancient art have been destroyed by careless individuals. Clear-cutting forests in order to build structures has destroyed more ancient artifacts than the world can ever really know. Anyone who finds items of archaeological significance on their property, or on a property they are working on, need to put a stop to any destruction in order to preserve the site.
The Canadian government, in response to some extremely unfortunate recent episodes of vandalism, have passed stringent laws to prevent these art works from being defaced. Anyone who is caught vandalizing such a site can be fined as much as fifty thousand dollars, and may even spend some time in jail. These sites are still being studied, as scientists still have not finished translating their meanings.
The natives of the North American countries have a strong interest in preserving all these sites, including the rock carving Alberta. This is something that absolutely must be saved for future generations to study and reflect upon. North America contains some of the best preserved examples of tribal life, and people throughout the world feel a great connection to it. Everyone has ancestors who were part of a hunter-gatherer tribe at some point in history.
About the Author:
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