Description of Historic Place

St. Victor Petroglyphs Provincial Park consists of 3.9 hectares of partially wooded land on the slope of the Wood Mountain upland. The property features over 300 precontact rock carvings on a large sandstone outcrop.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of St. Victor Petroglyphs Provincial Park resides in its status as the site of the largest concentration of precontact rock art in Saskatchewan and one of the few sites in Canada where carvings are found on a horizontal rock face. The carvings are significant for information they reveal regarding First Nations cosmology, spirituality, symbolism and artistic expression. The carved animal tracks, human and animal figures, geometric shapes and representations of genitalia are typical of a rock art tradition attributed to Siouan speakers of the Late Precontact Period (ca. 500 to 1750 A.D.). The association of vulva forms with cloven-hoofed animal tracks relates to Siouan mythological themes of fertility and the sacred relationship between women and bison. As such, the petroglyphs likely reflect a concern for the productivity of game animals and may have been the focus of rituals intended to ensure success in the hunt.

The site continues to be important to First Nations who regard the petroglyphs and the rock outcrop itself as sacred. Traditional ceremonies conducted in the park reinforce cultural identity and contribute to a process of cultural and spiritual revitalization.

Source:

Province of Saskatchewan, The Parks Act, May 26, 1986.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of St. Victor Petroglyphs Provincial Park resides in the following character-defining elements:
-elements that reflect the site’s spiritual and cultural significance, such as the carvings and the otherwise unaltered rock surfaces, including any boulders or slabs of rock that have fallen from the outcrop; the site’s natural setting with its dramatic vistas that evoke a sense of spiritual power; and access to the site for First Nations ceremonial purposes;
-elements that reveal additional information regarding precontact use of the site, including associated artifacts and cultural features such as bone deposits and hearths; and the spatial relationships and environmental context of the archaeological remains.