Petroglyphs Provincial Park - near Woodview, Ontario
N 44° 35.666 W 078° 02.359
17T E 734989 N 4942163
Deep within a forest northeast of Peterborough is the largest known concentration of aboriginal rock carvings in Canada. Carved into the white marble rock face hundreds of years ago, the 900 petroglyphs depict turtles, snakes, birds, humans and other images. Hiking trails meander through surrounding forests, wetlands and rocky ridges. Explore The Learning Place interpretive centre.
Waymark Code: WM6X0J
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 07/30/2009
Views: 11
Petroglyphs Provincial Park has a special place in Ontario's provincial park system. It is one of the most intrigiung and evocative archeological treasurers in Canada. The park's forests, two small lakes, marshes, hiking trails and picnic areas are all appealing, but its is the petroglyphs themselves that are the greatest attraction for visitors.
On a flat expanse of marble and protected by a specially designed protective building, there are more than 900 carvings of symbolic shapes and figurers.
According to archeologists and anthropologists, these petroglyphs (petro = rock, glyph = carving) were likely carved by Algonkian-speaking Aboriginal people between 600 and 1,100 years ago.
Some aboriginal people today revere this as a sacred site. Some call it Kinomagewapkong, "the rocks that teach". They believe there are messages here for all nations, and lessons that can be only learned by direct contact.
The park is open from the 2nd Friday in May to Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October. Ontario Parks staff are available, at the site, to pass on the messages of the teaching rocks. Special evening programs are held every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout July and August.
Park Type: Day Use
Activities:
Interpretive Building, historic site, hiking, picnics, natural history, native history
Date Established?: 1981
Link to Park: [Web Link]
Park Fees: Not listed
Background: Not listed
Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed
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