Hunter-Gatherer Canid Petroglyphs in the Wind River and Bighorn Basins of Wyoming
Creators: name: Stewart, James J.
Publisher: name: The Wyoming Archaeological Society
Year: 2001
Subjects: subject: Bighorn Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2942/bighorn-basin
subject: Wind River Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/3012/wind-river-basin
subject: Late Prehistoric
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/3245/late-prehistoric
subject: Late Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/32/late-archaic
subject: Protohistoric
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/147/protohistoric
subject: Early Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5396/early-archaic
subject: Middle Archaic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/3094/middle-archaic
subject: Shoshone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/66/shoshone
subject: 48FR93
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132463/48fr93
subject: Coal Draw
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132464/coal-draw
subject: 48FR1907
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132461/48fr1907
subject: Twin Creek
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132462/twin-creek
subject: 48HO692-B
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132467/48ho692-b
subject: 48HO693-C
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132468/48ho693-c
subject: 48HO692-F
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132465/48ho692-f
subject: 48HO692-A
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132466/48ho692-a
subject: 48HO392-C
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132471/48ho392-c
subject: Boysen Reservoir
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132472/boysen-reservoir
subject: 48HO362-A
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132469/48ho362-a
subject: 48HO392-A
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132470/48ho392-a
subject: 48FR43
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/6777/48fr43
subject: 48HO4-1A
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132475/48ho4-1a
subject: Beaver Creek
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132476/beaver-creek
subject: Legend Rock
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132473/legend-rock
subject: 48HO4
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132474/48ho4
subject: Muddy Creek
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132479/muddy-creek
subject: 48FR372
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132480/48fr372
subject: 48FR2459
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132477/48fr2459
subject: 48FR2461
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132478/48fr2461
subject: 48FR202
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/6787/48fr202
subject: Sinks Canyon
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132481/sinks-canyon
subject: 48FR2498
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132482/48fr2498
subject: Pavillion
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/132460/pavillion
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
subject: Altithermal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/8813/altithermal
subject: sheep eater
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169903/sheep-eater
subject: Anthropomorph
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/38830/anthropomorph
subject: pecked
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169904/pecked
subject: numic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169901/numic
subject: paiute
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169902/paiute
subject: puha
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/162391/puha
subject: Comanche
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/141851/comanche
subject: Burial
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/133729/burial
subject: uto-aztecean
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169899/uto-aztecean
subject: Great Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/141548/great-basin
subject: proto-shoshonean
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169900/proto-shoshonean
subject: shaman
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/76/shaman
subject: zoomorph
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/169898/zoomorph

description: Big game, large bird, and canid (dog/wolf/coyote) figures are the most obvious zoomorph petroglyph motifs in the Bighorn and Wind River Basins. Canid petroglyph motifs, with many apparently dating 2000-6000 B.P., or possibly older, tend to prevail in specific areas of the southern Bighorn and northeastern Wind River Basins. The geographic distribution of these canid motifs appears to be more than coincidental. Examination of known/recorded Wind River and Bighorn Basin canid motif petroglyph figures is attempted in this paper. Some references to canid motifs occurring in other art forms, oral tradition, and historic accounts are also made. There is an endeavor to demonstrate many of the Wind River and Bighorn Basin canid petroglyph motifs appear to have a deliberate spatial relationship with other petroglyphs. These often include select anthropomorph motifs, thus creating possible "combined" or "shared" human/canid motifs. The Wyoming canid petroglyph motifs raise several questions. First, do the canid petroglyph motifs represent domesticated dog, wolf, or coyote? Second, as dog, wolf, or coyote motifs, do the canid petroglyphs represent some sort of tribal or clan geographic behavior, marker or symbol, somewhat in the fashion of a tribal totem or guard dog symbol? Third, why do the Wyoming canid motifS not appear to represent portraits of domesticated dog a&lt;&gt; beasts of burden or participating in big and small game hunting activities? Fourth, are the canid petroglyph motifs graphic demonstrations of prehistoric animals being used as shamanistic familiars or spiritual allies as part of ancient man's religious world?