Some rock art is abstract and difficult to interpret , others depict figures and scenes more commonly understood , and some feature a mix of different styles superimposed on each other or existing at the same site .
One site in the eastern Black Hills features such a mix . One piece shows a 15-centimeter tall thunderbird , a common motif in rock art across the country . Sundstrom writes that thunderbeings represent “ powerful symbols of the sky realm and the ability to overcome one ’ s enemies .”
Other art from this particular site depict human figures , but mostly deep grooves carved into the rock face . A sign located nearby tells that the grooves were made while fashioning rock weapons , using the grooves to sharpen the rock . Many of these grooves are accompanied with a thin strip of red paint within the abraded grooves .
“ This is difficult to account for in tool-sharpening terms , but not in symbolic terms ,” writes Sundstrom .
She writes that many sites featuring this style could have been important to young women in their spiritual ceremonies , and perhaps in making tools such as awls as well . Many rock art sites and many geological formations were important to the Lakota and other cultures as they believe rocks have a living spirit . Some rock art , like features the thunderbird and other symbols , could have been interpreted to have supernatural meaning .
Determining the age of rock art is very difficult , but there are clues that can help in the process . One way that archaeologists can get an idea for how old a piece of rock art is by looking how far off the ground it is . Due to erosion , the ground surface in relation to rock art changes over time : more recent rock art will be closer to eye-level while older rock art can be high up on a cliff , showing previous ground levels in centuries long gone by . They also study the superimposition of rock art over older rock art at the same site , revealing the literal layers of history . With each superimposition , including graffiti by vandals , the older layers can become more difficult to see and make out .
Local writer Linda Hasselstrom grew up getting to take walks to out to petroglyphs , which they called “ the writings ," on her uncle ' s property .
Now , however , Hasselstom vows to never return to the site in an effort to protect them , as even the trail left behind by a single trip up can reveal their location to “ short-lived slimy individuals who would damage them ” as she said .
At one point , she even chased a few people away from the site , situated on private property , at gunpoint . As soon as the site started garnering interest from the public , a mostly well-meaning but curious public , things started to change for the worse .
“ The minute the site I grew up with drew any interest , even from well-wishers whom I know intended no harm , it started being vandalized , with names carved into the walls , damage to the rock art , piles of beer cans . I personally chased a few people out of there at gunpoint and would do it again ,” she said .
She doesn ’ t mince her words when talking about such vandals . They not only tarnish precious relics of the past , but also her own precious memories of those places .
“ My grandmother and I used to walk in the sun to what she called “ the writings ,” and I will never see them again . I wish every possible horrible thing on anyone who would damage such work . People like that have damaged some of my best memories and my hopes for them are vile .”
When I dreamed up the idea to write this story , I had visions of myself trekking out to as many of the remote sites as I could to photograph the ancient art , relaying exciting stories of landowners
The thunder beings , or “ wakinyan ” in Lakota , are an important symbol to tribes across the region . It ’ s possible that rock art like this carried s piritual significance to those who visit it .
Most rock art at this site in eastern Custer County can be seen from several yards away , but other faint carvings are only visible as you get up close .
24 September / Octobert 2024