The Bozeman courier., 1927-11-04
By NJ. E. PLAssMANN

y 7 WAS explained in my former article
on this subject, that a petrOglyph
might also be termed rock-writing
Director Powell of the Bureau of
Ethnology defines it as a picture,
whether carved or pecked, or otherwise
incised and whether figured only by
coloration or by coloration and incision
together, is upon rock either in stu or
sufficiently large for inference that the
picture was imposed upon it where it
was found" 1t was also stated that eX-
amples Of these rock-writings had been
discovered in Montana, and more are
likely to be found, if the interest Of our
people is awakened in this form Of primi-
tive records.
I mentioned the remarkable petro-
glyphs on rocks near Lake Superior,
which were entirely overlooked, and their
existence denied, by learned priest re-
siding within a short distance of them,
although he was making study OF the
Indian language, which contained words
relative to this form of writing. Only
when he had these petroglyphs called to
his attention, did these words become
intelligible.
The fact that they are easily over
looked, and when noticed are often con-
sidered of little value. makes it impor-
tant that interest in this form of writing
/ undoubtedly other instances Of rock
writing will be found here, and when
found preserved. Two additional records
Of this kind Of writing have recently
been brought to my attention. One Of
| them, given by Lieut.. James H. Bradley,
in his journal, published in Vol. IL Of
the Montana Historical Records, is worthy
of note for several reasons which will
suggest themselves to the reader, or
may be later explained. Lieutenant
Bradley writes:
"At the point where the road ascends
1 1or1rSc i0rIr hot &c
are lavishly adorned with Indian hero
| glyphics, some of them craven deeply in
the face of the rock at a considerable
height above the ground and difficult Of
access. I endeavored to learn their mean
ing from my scouts, but even the Oldest
Of them were unable to tell much about
them. They were placed there, they said
by spirits, and every few SHOWS the spir-
its caused what they had written to dis
appear and replaced 1t with something
else. The white men, they added, know
more than the Crows and ought therefore
to be better able than themselves to tel
what the spirit meant. 1t is evident
that the inscriptions are Of considerable
age and that the Crows have entirely
lost their meaning, If indeed they evel
possessed it. They we're probably designed
to place on record some unusual occur
ence, with serious purpose, as the
great labor they must have involved Tor
bids the idea Of its having been under
taken with trivial intent. 1nScr1pJloni
Of a similar character are scattered al
over the Crow land, all Of which, like
these, appear to be quite old. The Crow
Of the present day attempt nothing o.
the kind, If indeed they ever practiceC
such an art"
Lieutenant Bradley gives as his opinion
that the Crows in 1875, when his journa
was written, had not been in the countr!
they then claimed for over a hundred
years, and that the petroglyphtcs h
speaks Of were the work Of some forme
tribe.
We know the crows came from th
Northwest and crossing the Missouri
took possession Of the land where the,
we're first seen by white men. Wha
! tribe or tribes they dispossessed Is simpl
a matter OF conjecture, so far as I cal
learn. Perhaps in the future, compart