Kansas Petroglyphs

A Kansas Portrait

Petroglyphs are pictures or designs that are cut into a rock's surface. In Kansas most petroglyphs were scratched or incised into exposed bedrock producing figures or designs in outline form. They were made by Native American Indians, Kansas pioneers, and are still being made today. Although they seem to be a permanent form of art, petroglyphs at bedrock locations are subject to the erosion, they eventually will be destroyed.

Petroglyphs made by prehistoric and historic Indian people can be recognized partly by their styles and also by the subjects depicted. Men wearing headdresses and carrying shields or spears are found, as are stylized horses and riders. These figures are sometimes arranged as though stories were being told, but more commonly, individual human figures are apparently unrelated to other glyphs at a particular site. They were created perhaps as expressions of the fierce individualism of Plains Indian warriors. Other petroglyphs depict animals or animal tracks, such as bison or deer, and a very few depict animal "monsters" that have no living counterparts. Some glyphs are geometric designs of uncertain meaning.

Petroglyphs are found where suitable rock outcrops occur, especially on the sandstone bluffs and cliffs of central and north-central Kansas. Large and small sites have been recorded, but additional petroglyph sites must exist since there are miles and miles of exposed rock faces that have never been examined. Petroglyphs are interesting and oftentimes beautiful traces of the past. A detailed record of Kansas petroglyphs should be made for future generations before they are eroded away or destroyed by thoughtless persons. Contact the Kansas Historical Society for additional information about Kansas petroglyphs or to report petroglyph locations.