The Peterborough Petroglyphs are a remarkable collection of over 900 ancient images carved into crystalline limestone located near Peterborough in Ontario, Canada.

History of Peterborough Petroglyphs

After being lost for centuries, the Peterborough Petroglyphs was rediscovered by historian Charles Kingam in 1924.

The limestone at Peterborough is generally believed to have been carved by the Algonkian people between 900 and 1400 AD. Today, the First Nations people of Ontario call the carvings Kinomagewapkong, meaning "the rocks that teach."

However, there are several other theories of the date and authors of the remarkable petroglyphs:

The area surrounding the petroglyphs was established as Petroglyphs Provincial Park in 1976.

What to See at Peterborough Petroglyphs

The Peterborough Petroglyphs consist of more than 900 individual images, which are carved into a slab of crystalline limestone 180 feet (55 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) wide. About 300 of these are discipherable shapes, including humans, shamans, animals, solar symbols, geometric shapes and boats.

The boat drawings among the petroglyphs do not resemble the traditional boat of the Native Americans. One solar boat — a stylized shaman vessel with a long mast surmounted by the sun — is typical of petroglyphs found in northern Russia and Scandanavia.

A fissure in the rock is thought to have been revered as the entrance to the underworld or the symbolic womb of the Earth Mother.

Quick Facts on Peterborough Petroglyphs

Site Information
Names:	Peterborough Petroglyphs
Categories:	petroglyph sites
Dates:	900-1400
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:	44.611979° N, 78.041553° W
Address:	Petroglyphs Provincial Park Woodview, Canada K0L 3E0
Phone:	(705) 877-2552
Lodging:	View hotels near Peterborough Petroglyphs

Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

1. Atlas of Holy Places and Sacred Sites, p. 80.
2. Megaliths.co.uk - "Peterborough Petroglyphs" - with drawings

More Information

• Ontario Parks - "Petroglyphs Provincial Park"
• TripAdvisor - travel forum on Peterborough, Ontario
• The Canadian Encyclopedia - "Pictographs and Petroglyphs" - by Joan M. Vastokas
• Joan M. Vastokas and Romas K. Vastokas, Sacred Art of the Algonkians: A Study of the Peterborough Petroglyphs - by the chief authorities on the site
• Andis Kaulins, Stars, Stones and Scholars: The Discipherment of the Megaliths (has a companion website)
• Photos of Peterborough Petroglyphs - here on Sacred Destinations