Little Indian Rock Petroglyphs 4″x4″ Slate Coasters (variety four pack)

Description

Purchase a four-pack of 4″x4″ slate coaster highlighting the millennium-old petroglyphs at Little Indian Rock near Safe Harbor, PA. Each coaster was created using a 10-watt laser to permanently engrave the image onto the slate.

Overview

Located on the western edge of Lancaster County, Little Indian Rock has the second-highest concentration of petroglyphs in the northeast United States. It also has the best panel of rock art east of the Mississippi River. You would have to travel to the Southwest United States to see anything better.

Experimental archaeology suggests it takes about 20 minutes to make a dime-sized impress in the hard schist using a round hammerstone and quartz chisel. Some of the massive carvings likely took several days to complete. Try to imagine the time and energy involved in creating something this elaborate. Undoubtedly, these carvings possessed spiritual and cultural significance for these indigenous people.

Interpretations

Manitou. A spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in Native American theology. It is omnipresent and manifests everywhere. A comet perhaps inspired its design. Also visible are a variety of tracks, including turkey, deer, and human.

Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is a widespread figure in Native American mythology. Described as a supernatural being, the enormous bird symbolized power and strength that protected humans from evil spirits. Its name comes from the flapping of its mighty wings, which sounded like the crack of thunder. The Thunderbirds brought rain and storms, which could be good or bad. Good when the rain was needed or bad when the rain came with destructive winds and floods. Also pictured are several animal tracking, including turkey, bear, and deer.

Great Feast. A collection of carvings inside a circle, including several animal tracks, cupules, and a pair of serpents or eels. The pictogram possibly represents a great feast.

Equinox and Solstice Serpents. A millennium ago, a group of Native Americans known as the Shenks Ferry People would have gathered on Little Indian Rock to mark the start of a new season as they viewed the equinox and solstice sunrises. The pair of squiggly lines likely represent serpents. They line up with the fall and spring equinox sunrise. While the single wavy line lines up with the solstice sunrise. Also visible are turkey and deer tracks, plus a hunter with a bow and a four-legged animal.