Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs. . , Prehistoric people left examples of rock carving in many locations in the state. Most of these are in the central eastern portion of the state where rock outcroppings are more common. These petroglyphs were chipped, pecked and ground into these exposed sections of dolomite above the Big River sometime between 500 and 2,000 years ago. These petroglyphs have been assigned to this time period based on the presence of symbols that occur only during that period, such as bilobed arrows and ceremonial maces. Archaeologists have no way to accurately date petroglyphs, and their content is the only possible dating technique., At the time these carvings were made, American Indian people inhabited this part of Missouri. They hunted animals and gathered plants for food. They probably raised crops such as corn, beans, and squash at village sites along Big River. Long before Europeans arrived here, artists gathered at these stone outcroppings and created these images in the rock.