The Search for Meaning in the Peterborough Petroglyphs

I know that Native Petroglyphs are perplexing to most non natives. Who knows, maybe they perplex many natives, too.

When I look at them, my euro-cultured, left hemisphere immediately kicks into gear by asking; "What's going on here?"  What's the artist saying?

Now, the truth is - I  take abstact art for what it is. I know that for most abstract artists, there are no hidden meanings -  you just have to take it as you see it.

Then along comes  the late Harvard professor, Dr. Berry Fells.   For the uninitiated, Fells was one of those unusual archaelogists who thought outside the box.  Some would say that he walked all over the box when he interpreted petrography.

If you follow the link below to The British Israelite's website, you will see an expanded version of the Dr. Fells interpretation of the Peterborough petroglyphs which show the unfolded map of the universe.     Or, if you click on the picture above, it will enlarge for you to get a closer look at.  You will find on the British Israelite site a column written about it in the Ottawa Citizen in 2000.

If you wish to see the map expanded, click here and it will take you to the megaliths website.
Click here to read the Ottawa Citizen article.

And just to throw some gunpowder in the fire, there are those who theorize that some pictoglyphs are representations of vision seen from within vision induced trances.

At the end of the day I am sure that many of our premier native artists are left bemused by our out-there theories.