The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-11-25
PICTURE WRITING ON RIv.
Err ROCKS
About ESQ Specimens On Dis
play At State Museum
In Harrisburg

The first of a large number
Of picture rocks or petroglyphs
recovered last summer by the
Pennsylvania State Historical
e o m missions archaeological
expedition at Safe Harbor are
now on exhibition in the State
Museum at Harrisburg.
Two of the most interesting
glyphs in the collection flank
either side of the lobby stair
way in the museum building,
and other rich findings in tho
territory now covered by the
waters Of Safe Harbor dam will
be placed on display as they
are prepared and catalogued
during the summer and fall,
according to DR.. C. F. Hoban,
director of the State Museum
in the Department Of Public
Instruction.
One Of the Indian picture
rocks shows a surface carved
figure more than a foot across,
two sets Of parallel lines cros-
sing at right angles with a dot
in the center square, making a
figure similar to the ''tic-tac-
toe" game played by children.
Donald A. Cadzow, the COM
Missions director of archaeo-
logical work, who supervised
the Safe Harbor expedition, re-
ports that this petroglyph was
found beneath eight feet Of
earth and sand and for this
reason it is still remarkably
well preserved and has fewer
signs Of weathering than many
of the other glyphs. The mark
ings are said to resemble the
ancient Chinese character sym.
bolizing the location Of a
spring or a well Of good water.
The second glyph on display
in the State Museum shows a
group of simplified animal fig
ures. There are two fish and
between them is an impress
sionistic sketch of what APP
pears to be an otter or musk
rat. The fish bear resemb-
lance to figures wrought by an
Gent Peruvians in their textile
and pottery designs. The fact
that the symbols on these
rocks resemble Asiatic and
Peruvian characters is not in
dicative of contact, according
to Cadzow. Primitive people
in various parts of the world
often evolved similar things
independently, he says.
"The Indians of Pennsylvan-
la, especially the Delawares,"
he reports, "are known to have
used symbolic characters in
various regilious ceremonies.
However, no positive evidence
OF the people who made these
marks on the rocks was found
by the expedition. It may take
years to decipher all the an
Gent writings, and even if this
can never be accomplished, the
study and the rescue of these
interesting objects has opened
to the world historical vistas of
the early and almost unknown
inhabitants of Pennsylvania.
I'm ancient times picture
writings upon rocks were en-
ployed by many peoples whose
struggle toward civilization
was similar regardless of loca-
ton. In Pennsylvania many
of the photographs left by our
ancient inhabitants have been
destroyed. In the western part
Of the state a few examples
still survive the erosion of
time, but by far the most out
standing group was found at
Safe Harbor in Lancaster
county,"
The pieces of picture rocks
now on display are of the mica
schist composition found in the
lower Susquehanna river val
ley, and they weigh several
hundred pounds each. The ex-
petition at Safe Harbor last
summer uncovered about $50
specimens of rock picture
writings of early Indians.
Drawings were made of each,
and 1873 were reproduced in
plaster molds for permanent
record. Others were drilled out
of the solid rock with great
care and the best of these will
be placed in the state and other
museums.-The Gazette and
Daily York;