Introduction

Did you know that human beings tend to have the same favorite places -- even over centuries of time?

The Saline River Valley of central Kansas was the best hunting ground available and the only place to obtain salt for hundred of miles. It had been used by Native Americans for thousands of years before horses were brought to Kansas. The first white settlers used it for the same reasons. In the 20th century it had the best fishing holes, and now it's a recreational lake for boating, fishing and water sports used by thousands.

When the Wilson dam was under construction very few people cared that the new lake would destroy hundreds of Indian petroglyphs. But Carl and Nova Wells cared enough to use weekends and vacations to record as many of the petroglyphs as they could before the site was closed. The Kansas petroglyphs are now recognized as documentation of the several horse and buffalo cultures who roamed the Plains.

While we cannot tell the exact events or dates, the petroglyphs record successful hunts, horse-stealing raids, bear, wild turkey, buffalo and elk, conflicts with muskets and triumphant dancers.

Most of these were probably grooved into the Dakota sandstone cliffs between 1700 and 1850.

The Wells collection of petroglyph reproductions is featured in a new book, Petroglyphs of Saline Valley, Kansas. It contains 81 drawings and 5 photographs from five major sites along the Saline. Author Nova Wells has searched many libraries to document some possible interpretations for the carvings, which are included in the book.

If you want to know more about the legacy of the horse and buffalo tribes who hunted in Kansas you can order the book by sending a check or money order for $10, $2 postage and handling, and any applicable sales tax to:

You can write the author, by Internet mail, at CWells5431@aol.com

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Last updated 3/8/1997. Image ©1996, American Rock Art Research Association Archive.