St. Victor Petroglyphs Provincial Park

The heritage value of St. Victor Petroglyphs Provincial Park resides in its status as the site of the largest concentration of precontact rock art in Saskatchewan and one of the few sites in Canada where carvings are found on a horizontal rock face. The carvings are significant for information they reveal regarding First Nations cosmology, spirituality, symbolism and artistic expression. The carved animal tracks, human and animal figures, geometric shapes and representations of genitalia are typical of a rock art tradition attributed to Siouan speakers of the Late Precontact Period (ca. 500 to 1750 A.D.). The association of vulva forms with cloven-hoofed animal tracks relates to Siouan mythological themes of fertility and the sacred relationship between women and bison. As such, the petroglyphs likely reflect a concern for the productivity of game animals and may have been the focus of rituals intended to ensure success in the hunt.

The site continues to be important to First Nations who regard the petroglyphs and the rock outcrop itself as sacred. Traditional ceremonies conducted in the park reinforce cultural identity and contribute to a process of cultural and spiritual revitalization.

Source:

Province of Saskatchewan, The Parks Act, May 26, 1986.