ST. VICTOR -- Rock carvings located just outside this village are worth a visit when travelling in the Big Muddy Badlands region of south-central Saskatchewan. They're one of the most interesting, if puzzling, examples of petroglyphs on the northern plains.

- courtesy Tim Jones

Image of a grizzly-bear paw at St. Victor

The St. Victor Petroglyphs were carved into horizontal sandstone at the top of a cliff. They include representations of animal, bird and human tracks -- foot and hand prints -- as well as several symbols, and a few human and animal figures.

No one knows who carved the 'glyphs', or why. Saskatoon archaeologist Tim Jones, who has co-authored with his wife Louise a report on the topic, can't offer a good guess as to how old they are, either, except to note that the subjects carved show no evidence of being created in any other than prehistoric times.

Tim Jones

"It's almost as though (the St. Victor site) is hiding the secret of its age and authorship," says Jones, who's the executive director of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society.

Since some of the images overlap and reflect varying styles, Jones suspects they were created at different times by different artists -- perhaps some were made by the ancestors of present-day Dakota (Sioux) peoples. One of the largest, most prominent and, maybe, one of the newer glyphs is a face that seems similar to those observed in artifacts from northern plains burial mounds. The mounds are believed to be 300 to 600 years old.

How old, then, might the oldest carving be?

In style and subject matter, St. Victor bears similarities to some of the rock-art sites found in the woodland regions of central Canada and the U.S. But while archaeologists were able to date some of the Lake of the Woods sites at 5,000 to 6,000 years old, for instance, Jones says "that doesn't answer the St. Victor question".

- courtesy Tim Jones

At more than a foot diameter, this stylized human face is one of the largest figures at the site.

Similarities between the south-central Saskatchewan petroglyphs and those found in Ohio and Pennsylvania suggest some sort of connection between the two areas, "whether it's movement of people or movement of ideas", he says. People currently living in southern Saskatchewan might be interested to know the eastern woodlands carvings show black bear tracks, while the St. Victor ones depict grizzly prints.

Jones says there several theories as to why someone would sit down and carve hoof prints into a rock. The St. Victor Petroglyphs might be associated with 'hunting magic', he says, pointing out a good number of the pictures appear to be bison tracks heading towards the edge of the cliff.

- courtesy Tim Jones

Two turtle images, as well as hoof and paw prints.

Shamanism is another possibility. The site features some eight stylized grizzly tracks, and the grizzly was a very important figure in early aboriginal mythology. Two turtles carved into the rock, may be fertility and longevity symbols.

Unfortunately, the turtles aren't doing the St. Victor Petroglyphs much good.

The sandstone is wearing away and a sizable chunk of the carved rock appears ready to slip down the cliff face, says Jones. In spite of this, there's no plan to stabilize the cliff or protect the rock face from people or the elements.

-courtesy Tim Jones

A 'pecked' human hand (bottom left) and other images.

David Munro, an Assiniboia resident who's president of a group called Friends of the St. Victor Petroglyphs, says several native people who visited the site asked that it be left alone to disappear naturally. The Government of Saskatchewan, responsible for the provincial historic site, has adopted this wish as policy.

"Nature will take its course," says Munro.

While the Friends' mandate to 'preserve, protect and promote the site' sounds a little ironic under the circumstances, the group is working to insure the glyphs don't disappear any faster than Nature intends them to. The Friends worked with the provincial government to create and maintain a wooden walkway that allows easier access to the site while greatly reducing the amount of foot traffic on the carved rock -- for years the cliff top was a favorite picnic spot.

Members are also involved in recording the petroglyphs and establishing an interpretive centre in St. Victor. They're also involved in plans to publish a book based on the Joneses' report.

- courtesy Tim Jones

A walkway helps control foot traffic at the site.

Munro's favorite carving happens to be one that's vanishing faster than most. It depicts a man standing with his right hand reaching up towards a circle and his left one towards a large footprint. He believes it carries a message.

"The man is obtaining knowledge from within the circle of life, and then he's handing it, through himself, to his people. That's what I get out of it. . . This site should be given the same respect as the interior of our church."

Many of the carvings are difficult to see. They're best observed and photographed in the morning or evening of a clear day, when the angle of the sun is 45 degrees or less. Jones says they also show up well after a rain. Those who care little for things archaeological will find a great view, a pretty picnic area and wildlife aplenty in the vicinity. For more information on aboriginal rock carvings, to inquire about the book, or for general information about archaeology in Saskatchewan, contact The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society at #1 - 1730 Quebec Ave., Saskatoon, SK, S7K 1V9, or phone (306) 664-4124.

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