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Western Wisconsin Rock Art Sites
Rock art images that are carved or painted onto
rock surfaces, are visual symbols that ancient peoples used to convey
meaning in the absence of a written language. Even though we often
do not understand the exact meaning the images had for the people who made
them, they are still beautiful connections to those who inhabited the
earth before us. Rock art stimulates our imaginations to ponder what
life was like for the people who lived where we now live. It
encourages us to consider how their lives were different and in some ways
similar to our own.
This section contains information about eight
rock art sites in southwestern Wisconsin. Use this web site to see
otherwise inaccessible examples of the some of the area's rock art.
Also visit the Tainter Cave
web page. Tainter cave is a
recently discovered rock art site with significant example of rock
carvings - petroglyphs and paintings - pictographs.
Gullickson
Gullickson's Glen is a small overhanging rock
shelter located in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin.
Petroglyphs at the site occur at the center and on either edge of
the shelter. The central
panel contains the most petroglyphs but these are difficult to see due
to a growth of moss and lichen on the petroglyphs. Findings
suggest that Native Americans were occupying the rockshelter as long as 2000
years ago, although the petroglyphs probably do not date farther back
than 800 years ago. Excavations at the site have
uncovered remnants of Middle Woodland and Oneota occupancy.
Quartzite implements possibly used for making petroglyphs were
found in the Oneota level. Excavations
uncovered numerous potsherds, quartzite knives, rubbing stones, a
fragment of a pottery pipe and charcoal.
Bones from deer, elk, fish, turkey, bear, and mountain lion were
also recovered.
Petroglyphs at Gullickson's Glen have been interpreted as: a bison
nursing her calf, deer, elk, eagles, fish, geese, swans, thunderbirds,
and human figures.
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Hanson
Petroglyphs
are carved into a sandstone outcrop near the top of a large ridge
overlooking the Kickapoo River Valley.
Three complete bird figures and the wing of a fourth figure are
visible. Because the
sandstone is soft and some areas are badly eroded, there may have been
more than the four figures that are currently visible.
If the erosion continues at its present rate another figure will be
lost in the near future. A possible interpretation of the
petroglyphs is that they may be humans in disguise or possible spirit
beings.
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View
of Hanson petroglyphs |
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Bird
petroglyphs |
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Indian Cave
Indian
cave is a narrow, low, natural fissure cave/shelter containing prehistoric
petroglyphs. Regional
comparisons suggest that prehistoric activity in the cave probably dates
to the late prehistoric period, ca. 250 B.C. to 1500 A.D., although no
diagnostic artifacts have been found in the vicinity.
A panel of petroglyphs and two petroglyphs opposite the panel are
present in the cave.
The panel
consists of at least nine petroglyphs with a variety of figures
represented. Possibly
representing a story panel, it shows (from left to right): two seated
human figures, one of which is in profile, with an abstract bird-like
figure and pipe figure perched about the shoulder of the first human; an
abstract group of carvings (possible mammals); a standing human figure
wearing headgear with arms outstretched; a large bow strung with arrows pointed
toward a large mammal figure with a hand representation to the left of its
head; a large hand representation at the rear of the animal; and finally a
long curved line underscoring the complete panel.
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Larson
Larson
Cave is a shallow naturally-formed cave/shelter containing prehistoric
petroglyphs and prehistoric occupation debris.
Regional comparisons suggest that prehistoric activity in the
shelter probably dates to the late prehistoric period, ca. 250 B.C. to
1500 A.D., although no diagnostic artifacts have been recovered from the
site to date. A panel of
figures is visible at the entrance to the cave and additional markings are
also located within the cave.
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Archaeologist
in Larson Cave |
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Petroglyph
panel at the entrance to Larson Cave
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The panel
consists of two rows of mostly human stick-like figures, some joined
together at the arms and some standing alone.
The figures appear to have gender designations and vary in size
with "males" slightly taller than "females".
Three small "male" figures appear in the top row.
One figure appears to be carrying something in his hand: another
appears to be wearing headgear. A
group of two figures and a group of three figures are each joined at the
arms. Several other carvings
appear in this panel, mostly circles or lines or circles and lines in
various combinations. A long
groove underlines the panel of figures. This panel is the first thing visible to anyone approaching
the cave. One suggested
interpretation is that they may represent a mythical, ancestral or
corporal social group who would be recognizable to anyone approaching the
cave.
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Running Deer
The Running Deer petroglyphs are located in the
same area as the Twin Bluffs petroglyphs.
Since no cultural materials have been found at the site, an age for
the creation of the petroglyphs cannot be determined. The
petroglyphs become faint as they are exposed to the weather and are slowly
eroded away.
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Recording
Running Deer petroglyphs |
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View
from Running Deer petroglyphs |
Petroglyph
of a mammal figure
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Petroglyph
of two human figures
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Samuel
Samuel's Cave is a naturally-formed rockshelter
containing prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs that probably date to
the Oneota occupation of the La Crosse area, (ca. 1300 to 1600 A.D.).
The rockshelter was discovered in 1878 by a boy, Frank Samuels,
while trapping raccoons. It
had been sealed for at least 150 years by landslides of soil and rock
coming down from the cliffs above. At
the time of discovery, the carvings and drawings on the walls of the
rockshelter were reported to be in good to excellent condition.
Weather damage and vandalism over the past 110 years have
obliterated many but not all of the prehistoric figures.
In prehistoric times, the rockshelter was probably used as a winter
camp, and/or a special activity area.
Entrance to Samuel's Cave
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Looking
out of Samuel's Cave |
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Inside
Samuel's Cave |
Petroglyph
of a human figure wearing headgear
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Pictographic
panel which possibly portrays in abstract form, a variety of
animal forms |
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Twin Bluff
The Twin Bluffs petroglyphs occur on a small,
flat, vertical rock face with a small rock ledge at the base.
Regional comparisons suggest that prehistoric activity in the
shelter probably dates to the late prehistoric period, ca. 250 B.C. to
1500 A.D., although no diagnostic artifacts have been recovered from the
vicinity of the site. Petroglyphs
at the Twin Bluffs site include: five complete thunderbird figures, two
partial thunderbird figures, one bird in profile, one mammal, and one
mushroom-like figure.
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Looking
up at Twin Bluffs |
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Thunderbird figures |
Plaster
waste visible around the thunderbird figure (top image) is left over
from early attempts at recording the petroglyphs by making plaster
casts. Removal of the waste material is not possible without
damaging the original petroglyphs.
This is an example of how even well intentioned efforts to save
the petroglyphs can inadvertently cause damage.
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Viola
The
Viola Rockshelter is situated part way up a small ravine in the bluffs
that form the deeply cut Kickapoo River Valley.
In 1986 salvage excavations were undertaken and four periods of
occupation were found ranging from ca. 1500 B.C. to 1000 A.D.
It is undetermined which if any occupation created the petroglyphs.
Three groups of figures compose the petroglyph panel.
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Outside
Viola Rockshelter |
Possible
boat on water with a human figure inside
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| Possible
dwelling or tepee with a human figure alongside |
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The Rock Art web site was paid for by a
grant from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Foundation |
