Canada

Petroglyphs Provincial Park

First Nations petroglyph site, Ontario

Location

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Historical Context

About

Petroglyphs Provincial Park is a historical-class provincial park situated in Woodview, Ontario, Canada, northeast of Peterborough. It has the largest collection of ancient First Nations petroglyphs (rock carvings) in Ontario. The carvings were created in the pre-Columbian era and represents aspects of First Nations spirituality, including images of shamans, animals, reptiles, and, possibly, the Great Spirit itself. The location of the site was kept hidden from non-First Nation people until 1954, when it was rediscovered accidentally by a prospector (Everett Davis) of the Industrial Minerals of Canada. The immediate area of the petroglyphs has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Carving period

c. 900–1100 AD

Site rediscovered

1954

Academic recording

1965–1968

Visitor centre opened

2002

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Artistic and Decorative Features

Petroglyphs
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Rock Shelters
Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

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Plan Your Visit

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Reference

Details

Country

Canada

Coordinates

44.62° N, -78.04° E