Petroglyph Canyon Historic Photos

Large wall of rock art at Petroglyph Canyon (Willis Vail Photo, 1905. © Old Oregon Photos.) 

For thousands of years native people carved and painted spiritually important images on the basalt cliff faces of what came to be known as Petroglyph Canyon. The canyon is located in south central Washington state near Columbia Hills State Park (see image below).


View of Petroglyph Canyon location. Columbia Hills State Park is at the red "You Are Here" dot (image courtesy of Washington State Parks)

Petroglyph Canyon was reported to have one of the largest concentrations of Indian rock art in North America before it was largely submerged in the pool behind The Dalles Dam (photo below) in 1957. Today much of the rock art, and the canyon itself, lie hidden beneath the waters of Horsethief Lake and the Columbia River at Columbia Hills State Park near Dallesport, WA.

We recently came across a website (www.oldoregonphotos.com) that displays (and sells) historic photographs.  John Klatt, who owns the Old Oregon website, has graciously allowed CultureWatch NW to reproduce some very old photos of Columbia Gorge rock art. (All historic photos in this post are © Old Oregon Photos).

As the giant hydroelectric generation dams were built on the Columbia River beginning in the 1930's many Native American cultural areas, including rock art sites, were flooded by the large lakes that formed behind them. Photographers, professional and amateur, scrambled to record the ancient images before they disappeared. 

By the way, if you have old photos of rock art from the Columbia Gorge and are willing to share them we would love to hear from you! Just send an email to culturewatch@gmail.com.

A number of petroglyphs and pictographs were actually "salvaged" by being physically removed from areas about to be submerged. Some of these rescued boulders, including a number of those shown in the old Benjamin Markham photos in this article, can be seen today along the Temani Peshwa Trail (photo below) at Columbia Hills State Park and at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest Recreation Area near Vantage, WA.

So let's take a look at the old photos! When available we've included both a historic picture (black and white) and a modern photo (color) so you can see how the rock art has changed in the last 75-100 years.

The photo on the left below was taken by Benjamin Markham in the 1920's. It shows the panel of petroglyphs in situ, still part of the cliff wall at Petroglyph Canyon. The same panel is visible at center left in the Willis Vail photo above. On the right below is the salvaged panel, now located on the Temani Peshwa Trail.

 


You will notice that the contrast between the petroglyphs and the background rock is much greater in the old photos. Historically it was a common practice to color or outline rock art with white chalk to make the images show up clearly in photos. This practice is now regarded as vandalism because it may take decades for the chalk to disappear.

Images in situ at Petroglyph Canyon. 

Markham Photo.

Salvaged boulder as it sits today on the Temni Peshwa Trail.

          

       Images in situ at Petroglyph Canyon (at left above, Markham Photo circa 1920's) and as they looks today on the Temani Peshwa Trail at Columbia Hills State Park.

The photo on the left (attributed to Markham but unsigned) was taken near Wishram, WA. A modern photo shows the beautiful color of the images which are a combination of petroglyphs and pictographs (painted on the rock surface).

The two photos below were also taken by Markham 
in the 1920's. Unfortunately we don't have any modern 
photos to compare them with. The image on the left was taken 
in Petroglyph Canyon and is now assumed to be 
submerged. The other was taken at a rock art site in 
Sherman County, Oregon.


Check out the historic photos at www.oldoregonphotos.com and when the weather warms up (after April 1) head out to Columbia Hills State Park where you can take a self-guided tour of the Tamani Peshwa Trail (whenever the park is open) and also a free guided tour of the other extensive rock art sites at the park (reservation required for the free tour, there is a small fee to enter the park).

         

Rare Chinook House Stone Re-discovered!

Kloshe Nanitch

The Guardian of Altoona

In April Portland archaeologist Melissa Darby connected me to Kari Kandoll, the curator of the Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum in Cathlamet, WA. Cathlamet is a small community about 65 miles west and down the Columbia River from Vancouver and Portland.

Kari and her staff had recently uncovered a small, interestingly carved boulder in the storage area of the museum. The boulder had been donated long ago by a local resident and since forgotten among the thousands of items in the museum's collection.

Late in June Kari brought the stone to the CultureWatch NW office in Vancouver where we took the photos included here.

After some research we concluded that the stone was a Chinook house stone. This rare carved stone figure is believed to have stood outside a Chinook Indian longhouse (similar to the one in the "Floor Plan drawing to the right) in the vicinity of Altoona, WA.

The figure probably represents a mythological character important in the Chinookan spiritual belief structure. Such carved figures, in stone or wood, were erected outside longhouses to protect the occupants from evil spirits and influences.

Note the tapered lower end of the stone which would have been buried in the earth, securing the stone in an upright position near the front of the house.

Also notice the triangular ribbed carving on the back of the figure. In several other examples of Chinookan carving this shape represents the exaggerated tail of an animal (a beaver or mountain sheep) providing another indication that perhaps the human-like face on the front of the stone is not actually human, but a protective spirit figure.

Once we had identified what the carved stone was we wanted to come up with a suitable name that would recognize its significance and honor its purpose. After consulting a Chinook Jargon Phrasebook I suggested the name "Kloshe Nanitch", The Guardian of Altoona.

The words mean "take care, stand guard, watch out"...suitable terms for a house stone that would have protected occupants of a long house hundreds of years ago.

Now Kloshe Nanitch is headed for a place of honor on display in the Wahkiakum Museum near where it served its original purpose guarding the Chinook people of Altoona.

VISIT KLOSHE NANITCH & CATHLAMET!

Historic Cathlamet is an easy day trip from Portland or Vancouver and is well worth visiting. While you're there you can stop in at the Historical Society Museum, check out Kloshe Nanitch and enjoy an extensive exhibit and photo collection, including logging, fishing, maritime, farming, families, towns, and genealogy records.

The Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum

65 River Street, Cathlamet, WA
360-795-3954 or 360-849-4353

Open: Open Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 the first full weekend in May and close the last weekend in October.  Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and kids under 18 are free.

If you visit the weekend of July 16, Cathlamet will be holding its Bald Eagle Days festival, a traditional small town event with fun for everyone!

Buffalo Bill's Defunct

Mystery, intrigue, petroglyphs, the Columbia River Gorge...what else could anyone interested in archaeology and fiction ask for?

Just check out the cover...stylized Pacific Northwest rock art galore.

Vancouver, WA author Sheila Simonson has blended local cultures and geography with some great characters in a book that I really enjoyed.

Simonson rearranges counties, towns, and cultures to produce a credible facsimile called "LaTouche County" which seems to include a good chunk of the western Gorge. She creates a pseudo Chinookan tribe called the "Klalo" and names the county seat after them. Tribal members, including the female chief, have key roles in the story.

Stolen artifacts, murder, clashing cultures, interesting characters and familiar places combine for an engaging read. You can learn more about the author and her books at her website. The book is available at Amazon and Powells.com (for well under $15) and, I assume, at local bookstores.

Might make a great Christmas gift!

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Chinook Nation Progresses as Leaders Testify in Washington D.C.

July 15, 2009 may be recorded as one of the most important days in Chinook Indian Nation history.

The day that Chinook leaders testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources in Washington D.C. in a continuing effort to regain federal recognition. The Natural Resources Committee oversees Native American issues and will be influential in consideration of HR 3084, the Chinook Nation Restoration Act.

The 2,700 member tribe was represented by Council Chairman Ray Gardner (pictured here courtesy The Chinook Observer), Council Member and Hereditary Chief Phil Hawks and Council Member Sam Robinson. U.S. Representative Brian Baird (WA) also spoke in favor of the Chinook Nation.

The next step in the recognition process will occur about two weeks after the hearing when Rep. Baird plans to ask the committee to prepare the bill for consideration by the whole House of Representatives. A vote is said to be possible later this summer.

An excellent article on the hearings can be viewed at The Chinook Observer newspaper website.

Your support will be very influential to the success of the process. Please contact your senators and representatives and express support for HR 3084, The Chinook Nation Restoration Act. You can easily find and email your elected officials at Contacting Congress.

Video of Chairman Gardner testifying (click here)















Video of Representative Baird Speaking to Committee (click here)














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Petroglyph Team Seeks Images at Columbia Hills State Park

Members of the Washougal Petroglyph Team, lead by artist Rex Ziak (at left in photo), headed to Columbia Hills State Park (formerly Horsethief Lake State Park) on Friday, July 17 to gain experience with rock art and to begin gathering examples of images that could be useful in their project (see previous post for project details, click on any photo to get an enlarged version).

Washougal has broken ground on the new pedestrian tunnel that will re-connect the city to its waterfront. Its not much to look at yet...

...but Rex's concept of including Columbia Plateau rock art at the tunnel's entrance should make it a real landmark.

About 7:45 am the team drove east toward Columbia Hills. By 9:00 it was already warm, headed for hot, and there was a high overcast. Not the best conditions for viewing rock art as we found out when we made a short stop in Stevenson to see the large, intensely carved boulder that was moved there from Skamania Landing years ago.

The light was flat and the rock art was almost invisible. For many of the students this was their first exposure to "real" rock art and it was a tough one...but after a few clues and a lot of squinting everyone began to see the symbols and cupules carved into the boulder (the photo at right was taken on a different, rainy day when the rock art was offering itself for easy viewing).

An hour or so later we arrived at Columbia Hills, checked in with the friendly rangers and headed for the parking lot where our tour would begin. We joined our guide, Mike, a park aide (below in green shirt with French foreign legion hat) and several other "civilians" (meaning people who weren't Petroglyph Team members).
Mike gave us an excellent and inspired introduction. We all appreciated both his passion and knowledge about the rock art of the area.

As the sun beat down and the temperature rose above 90 we trekked into the rimrock and down the trail to get up-close and personal with some of the most incredible rock art in North America.

We quickly started to see pictographs and petroglyphs on the basalt cliffs to our North. Some were more visible than others...but then that's the way it always is with rock art.

Mike stopped often and explained to everyone what they were seeing. All of us were riveted by the images and by the information that was shared about the ancient cultures and traditions that have been part of our region for so many thousands of years.















Here are a few of the many, many rock art images we were priviledged to see...







So our guide, Mike, lead us across the landscape, pointing out rock art, sharing knowledge, gently herding us along. After about an hour or so we walked up a hill, around a corner and...BANG!

...Tsagaglalal...She Who Watches...stunning...bigger than life...staring across history!

So what better place to end the tour? The team experienced rock art first-hand, examined and photographed many candidate images for the tunnel project, gained a wealth of knowledge and an increased appreciation and respect for another culture.

All in all, not a bad day's work!

Thanks to Nabiel Shawa, Rex Ziak, and everyone who made the trip possible.
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Cathlapotle Plankhouse, Pre-Stonehenge Complex, and an FBI Bust!

THE CATHLAPOTLE PLANKHOUSE...A CULTURAL BONANZA!
Taking my own advice from a previous posting ("What to do...over the long weekend! " May 22, 2009) I headed for Ridgefield, WA and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse on Sunday, June 14 to check it out. I wanted to see the presentation on rock art by the famous Dr. Jim Keyser and the native pigment demonstration by Greg Robinson (Chinook) and Greg Archuleta (Grand Ronde).

Having been to the plankhouse once before (when it was closed) I was confident that I could find it again...all I had to do was follow the signs to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge...right? Fancying myself something of a navigator I smoothly found the town of Ridgefield and quickly latched onto the prominent "National Wildlife Refuge" directional signs.

Within minutes I found the huge welcoming sign for the Refuge,
turned down the gravel road and headed for the Plankhouse. I came upon a prominent kiosk that offered a very nice brochure and informed me I should stop and pay the $3.00 entry fee to the Refuge. Not seeing anything resembling the Plankhouse...and observantly noting that nothing around me looked that much like it did on my previous visit, I turned to the map in the brochure. I quickly found that I was in the Refuge's "River S Unit"...but...the Plankhouse is in the "Carty Unit" just down the road...OOPS!

As retraced my steps and headed back into Ridgefield I blithely noted the "Plankhouse" directional signs that I missed the first time and followed them right to the spot. Really, its easy to find, just don't get tricked by the first "Wildlife Refuge" signs, note the "Plankhouse" signs, go on into Ridgefield where the road will make a right turn and lead you to the correct location. You can find a ton of information...and even a map...on-line at http://www.plankhouse.org.

The Plankhouse is striking as you can see in the photo. You can enter through the traditional circular "Chinook door" or through a less traditional "ordinary" door to the right. Being adventuresome I took the circular door route and was rewarded with a great view of the full interior of the house...all natural cedar, huge beams, draped animal skins, incredible carved wood images, people everywhere...you have to watch the video below to really get the experience.

I cruised the display area and talked to Chinook artist Greg Robinson (who also managed construction of the Plankhouse). Greg had a few pieces of his art on display and was working with Greg Archuleta showing interested people how pigments and paints were ground from minerals, mixed with oils and applied to wood, etc. Really fascinating. I was most impressed with the art. You can see more of Greg's work at http://gregarobinson.com.

At 2:00 pm Jim Keyser started his talk on Columbia Plateau Rock Art. I have to say he entranced his audience of 50-some people. Jim is one of the best archaeological speakers I've heard and I'm sure everyone left both entertained and enlightened.

Share a small part of my experience in this video which I've titled "Ancient Images: Cathlapotle Chinookan Plankhouse". Music courtesy of Tom Mauchahty-Ware. Hope you enjoy it!



All in all a great experience and well worth the short trip north from Portland, OR!


HUGE PRE-STONEHENGE COMPLEX FOUND VIA "CROP CIRCLES" (...sort of...Ed.)
James Owen in London
for National Geographic News
June 15, 2009

Given away by strange, crop circle-like formations seen from the air, a huge prehistoric ceremonial complex discovered in southern England has taken archaeologists by surprise.

A thousand years older than nearby Stonehenge, the site includes the remains of wooden temples and two massive, 6,000-year-old tombs that are among "Britain's first architecture," according to archaeologist Helen Wickstead, leader of the Damerham Archaeology Project...

Read the rest of the story at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090615-stonehenge-tombs-crop-circles.html?source=email_wn_20090619

More on the story at: http://www.ogleearth.com/2009/06/in_search_of_br.html


FBI CHARGES 24 IN AMERICAN INDIAN ARTIFACT LOOTING CASE
Feds: Southern Utah history stolen from the Four Corners area.
By Patty Henetz
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 06/11/2009

For two years, someone close to a large network of archaeological looters in southeastern Utah was wired with an audio-visual recorder when buying ancient baby blankets, stone pipes, seed jars, digging sticks, pots, even a pre-Columbian menstrual pad.

This "Source," as he or she is identified in a search warrant affidavit unsealed Wednesday, is an insider who worked with U.S. Bureau of Land Management and FBI special agents to nab two dozen suspects in the theft and sale of more than 250 American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area...

Read the whole story at: http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12561194


SEXY ARCHAEOLOGY!
This is a fun new website with interesting stuff (don't worry, its not even PG13). In their own words...SexyArchaeology.org seeks to entice future generations of archaeologists by utilizing the image that popular media has created of archaeologists; brave, adventurous, attractive and intelligent. The program is interested in making archaeology attractive to people of all ages and sexes and proudly supports the promotion of smart archaeology and archaeological education.

Check it out at: http://sexyarchaeology.org/

(Thanks to Oregon Heritage News, National Geographic, and the Salt Lake Tribune for some of the information contained in this post).

Senator Patty Murray Supports Chinook Nation...I think.

In a post on May 26, 2009 I endorsed the Chinook tribe's quest for official recognition by the federal government and asked you all to send messages of support to your elected officials. Like many of you, I took my own advice and wrote to Senator Patty Murray (WA U.S. senator, at left).

Senator Murray just sent a response to my letter and I'm going to share part of it because its indicative of the fight the Chinook are in.

Let me start by saying that Senator Murray has a long and solid history of supporting Indian people and issues, so I'm not trying to pick on her. I believe she is an ally.

That said her message to me is a beautifully written exercise in political speak. Senator Murry wrote...

"In May 2009, Representative Baird (D-WA) introduced H.R. 2576, the Chinook Nation Restoration Act... Should H.R. 2576 or similar legislation come before the full Senate for a vote, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind."

Notice she didn't commit to support the legislation, but only to keep my thoughts in mind.

She goes on to say...
"...Throughout my Senate tenure I have consistently supported tribal self-determination and opposed efforts to erode the rights of Native Americans."

True, but again, no clear statement either way on the Chinook issue.

As I said above, I'm not trying to be critical of Senator Murray. I'm trying to illustrate that the Chinooks are NOT in a battle of facts or science. They're in a political fight and have been for years. Senator Murray's carefully worded letter is an acknowledgment that she (like every other elected official) has other powerful political forces to consider as she looks at Chinook recognition.

All this just means that the Chinooks continue to need your support!

If you're moved to do so, you can find your elected representatives at this link: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml. They'd love to hear from you!

Restoring the Chinook Indian Nation

Chinook Indians celebrate their Winter Gathering
(photo courtesy of the Chinook Nation website).

I'm trying to stay away from politics in this blog...so let's not call this political, let's call it righting a wrong. The Chinook Indians are iconic to the Pacific Northwest, they saved Lewis and Clark, we name our fish and winds after them, the names of our towns and rivers are often Chinookan words...yet there is NO Chinook Indian tribe in the Pacific Northwest...at least if you believe our federal government.

Happily on May 21, 2009 Washington Representative Brian Baird introduced legislation (the "Chinook Nation Restoration Act - H.R.2576 ) to restore official federal recognition to the Chinook tribe (http://www.baird.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=935&Itemid=99).

Detractors will say that there are no "real" Chinook Indians left today and that this is a cynical ploy to get federal benefits for a few undeserving people. Sadly, the detractors are often other Indian tribes who think they will lose something if the Chinook are re-constituted (like their exclusive casinos in certain areas). The ancient battlefields seem to have moved indoor to the halls of congress.

In my humble opinion there's plenty of actual evidence to support re-instating the Chinooks (learn more at http://www.chinooknation.org)...but if that's not enough, ask yourself if its better to give billions of dollars to failing banks and auto companies or a few million to some worthy people who are working hard to protect their culture. For me the answer is easy.

If you agree, please contact your U.S. representatives and tell them so. You can easily email your elected reps from http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml.