The petroglyphs of Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia: a fresh perspective on their physical and cultural contexts

Abstract

This thesis is an extension of an Honors thesis written at the Archaeology Unit at Memorial University of Newfoundland (Cave 1998). It concerns the great number of petroglyphs found around Kejimkujik Lake in western Nova Scotia. These rock carvings have been attributed to the Mi 'kmaw who have inhabited the Maritimes from the precontact period to the present day. There were three main objectives in this research. The first was to assess the importance of landscape in creating the context for the drawing of the petroglyphs. The second objective was to gain insights of contemporary Mi 'kmaq regarding the modern significance of the petroglyphs. And fmally, a direct comparison with recent tracings was made to assess the loss of petroglyphs to erosion and graffiti since they were first recorded in 1888 by George Creed. These objectives will provide a fresh perspective into the research of the Mi 'kmaw petroglyphs.