Rock Art and Spiritual Practices in Alberta: Stories Carved in Stone
There is something eternal about the land of Alberta, a quiet grandeur that has inspired reverence for millennia. To the Indigenous peoples who first inhabited its plains, foothills, and river valleys, the land was far more than a physical space—it was a living, sacred presence, brimming with meaning. Their connection to it was expressed not through towering monuments but through something much older and far more intimate: rock art. At sites like Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park (Áísínai’pi), these carvings and paintings stand as enduring testaments to the spiritual and cultural lives of Alberta’s Indigenous nations. Historians, archaeologists, and cultural experts agree that this rock art, composed of petroglyphs (carvings) and pictographs (paintings), provides vital evidence of Indigenous worldviews, ceremonies, and their timeless relationship with the environment.
In his groundbreaking book “Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains,” archaeologist Jack Brink eloquently states, “Rock art is far more than decoration or artistic expression. It is a deliberate act of communication, a way of recording events, visions, and relationships with the world.” The sandstone cliffs of Writing-On-Stone, shaped by wind and water, became a natural canvas where generations of Indigenous peoples recorded their stories and spiritual encounters. The park, situated along Alberta’s Milk River, remains one of the most significant and enduring rock art sites in North America, with thousands of carvings and paintings etched into the stone over thousands of years. These works represent a cultural dialogue with the land, passed down through generations and preserved for eternity.
The creation of rock art was no idle endeavour. It was tied deeply to spiritual practices and beliefs, with the sites themselves chosen for their sacred significance. Brink explains further, “The act of carving into stone was an expression of reverence, connecting people directly to the spirits of the land.” Sites like Writing-On-Stone were believed to be liminal spaces, where the veil between the material world and the spirit world was thin. Carvings at these sites are often found near hoodoos—pillars of eroded sandstone that Indigenous cultures believed were inhabited by spirits. In the book “Sacred Landscapes of the Northern Plains” by Brian O. K. Reeves, the author notes that such locations were seen as places of power, where prayers could be carried to the Creator, visions could be received, and messages could be shared with future generations.
The images themselves offer invaluable insights into Indigenous life and spirituality. Animals, particularly bison, feature prominently in Alberta’s rock art, reflecting the animal’s central role in survival and cultural identity. The bison was more than a source of food or shelter; it was a spiritual provider, and its sacrifice ensured the survival of entire communities. Hunting scenes, carefully carved into the rock, are not just records of successful hunts but prayers of gratitude and symbols of the sacred relationship between humans and animals.
In addition to bison, human figures appear frequently, often depicted with ceremonial details, such as feathered headdresses, outstretched arms, or intricate markings. These figures are thought to represent spiritual leaders, shamans, or individuals engaged in sacred rites. John W. Ives, in his article “Rock Art and the Spirit World” (Canadian Archaeological Journal, 1998), argues that these carvings often commemorate vision quests—important rites of passage in which individuals sought guidance from the spirit world through fasting, solitude, and prayer. The images left behind may have been the result of visions experienced during these quests, their symbols imbued with meaning that guided the seeker’s life and strengthened their connection to their ancestors and the land.
Pictographs, painted using natural pigments like red ochre, add yet another dimension to Alberta’s rock art tradition. Red ochre, a pigment derived from iron-rich earth, was seen as sacred, symbolizing life, blood, and renewal. It was often mixed with animal fat or water to create paints that could endure the test of time. These images, though more vulnerable to erosion than petroglyphs, tell the same stories—hunts, spiritual encounters, and connections to the natural world. They are works of art, but also cultural records, preserving knowledge that would otherwise have been lost.
The rock art of Alberta is not limited to Writing-On-Stone alone. Sites such as the Cypress Hills, the Kootenay Plains, and other valleys along Alberta’s rivers reveal similar traditions of carving and painting. In her article, “Messages in Stone: A Study of Plains Rock Art” (Alberta History Journal, 2011), historian Anne-Marie Crozier describes these sites as “living records that reflect the resilience and spiritual strength of Indigenous peoples.” Each carving and painting was an act of remembrance, recording events, teachings, and ceremonies for future generations.
What becomes clear in studying Alberta’s rock art is the profound relationship Indigenous peoples maintained with the land. To carve or paint on rock was to honour that relationship, to acknowledge the sacredness of the place and its role as a witness to their lives. Jack Brink emphasizes that these works were not isolated creations but part of a continuing cultural tradition: “Rock art is a conversation between people and place, a dialogue that has lasted for thousands of years.” The carvings were layered over generations, with new marks added beside older ones, creating a visual history that reflected the ever-evolving connection between communities and the landscape.
European contact in the 18th and 19th centuries disrupted many aspects of Indigenous life, but the rock art remained. It endured where other records did not, offering historians and archaeologists an invaluable window into Alberta’s past. Today, Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park and similar sites stand as testaments to the creativity, spirituality, and resilience of Alberta’s Indigenous peoples. They are not simply relics of the past but living places where the stories of ancestors continue to resonate.
The significance of Alberta’s rock art cannot be overstated. As Brian O. K. Reeves reminds us, “The land itself remembers. It carries the weight of generations, and the rock art is its voice.” For Indigenous peoples, these sacred sites remain places of power and connection, where the spirit world and human world intersect. For historians, archaeologists, and visitors, they offer a humbling glimpse into a way of life deeply rooted in respect for the land and the unseen forces that govern it.
The carvings and paintings left behind on Alberta’s sandstone cliffs are more than art; they are evidence of a worldview that saw the land as sacred, a living partner in the story of human existence. They remind us that history is not always written in books or documents but etched into the very bones of the earth. Alberta’s rock art remains one of its most enduring legacies—a quiet but powerful testament to the ingenuity, spirituality, and enduring presence of its first peoples.
References:
- Brink, Jack. Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains. Athabasca University Press, 2008.
- Reeves, Brian O. K. Sacred Landscapes of the Northern Plains. University of Calgary Press, 1997.
- Ives, John W. “Rock Art and the Spirit World.” Canadian Archaeological Journal, vol. 12, no. 4, 1998, pp. 78–95.
- Crozier, Anne-Marie. “Messages in Stone: A Study of Plains Rock Art.” Alberta History Journal, vol. 59, no. 2, 2011, pp. 12–19.