Archaeologists Worried About Northern Pictographs

Archaeologists Worried About Northern Pictographs

Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 13:15

An archaeological expert in the province says she worries ancient paintings of the Woodland Cree could someday fade from memory if they are not properly documented today.

Talina Cyr-Steenkamp of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society says water damage and erosion are slowly erasing 70 or more images from rock faces in the northern boreal forest.

Cyr-Steenkamp notes the occasional case of vandalism isn’t helping matters.

She admits there’s little anyone can do to actually preserve the paintings in their present form, but she says they should be recorded for historical purposes.

Most of the images are of wildlife, although some depict thunderbirds and other ancient images.