I have not had the privilege yet of getting to see any of the pictographs yet.

I was wondering three things...

1. What tribe(s) created them?
2. What was their source of "paint"?
3. Where would you recommend going to see some good, clear pictographs?

Thanks,
CV

The easiest ones to get to are on the Island river south of Isabella lake. Maybe 2 or 3 mile paddle or ice travel. Also North Hegman lake off the Echo Trail. I know of some on Burntside but they are on private property.

If you are interested in Quetico:

This panel is on Quetico Lake. You'd pass it headed east if you were on the approach to the portage into Kasakokwog Lake.






There are a number of other pictographs on Quetico Lake, including this one which is west of the one pictured above.







There are a number (something like 8 different sites) on Agnes Lake, including a panel on roughly the same scale as the one on Quetico. Agnes also has the distinction (I believe) of being the only lake also having a petroglyph (west side, north of the portage into Silence Lake).






You will find additional panels on Lac La Croix (just north of Bottle Portage), Darkwater (southeast shore of the lake) and other places. However, the best single site I've seen is a panel on Artery Lake on the Bloodvein River a bit east of the Manitoba border. This picture is only a small part of the overall panel.


dd

As far as the tribe, I’m going to say the Anishnabe or Ojibway tribe. The rest of your questions can be answered HERE

My husband and I enjoyed walking out to the Hegman pictos in the winter.

Check out Magic on the Rocks Michael Furtman's book
On LLC at Irving island - just north of Warrior Hill

To be respectful, please do not take pictures.

Frenchy19: "To be respectful, please do not take pictures. "

Please explain..

Thanks everyone for the helpful info. I’m looking forward to checking out some of the ones that we’re mentioned.

Is there any other Indian or Voyaguer sites interesting to visit?

The pictos on the Basswood River are amazing and there are a lot of them. I'm not sure why pictures would be disrespectful. Just don't touch them. Michael Furtman's book is excellent.

firemedic5586: "

Frenchy19: "To be respectful, please do not take pictures. "

Please explain.."

Descendants of the people believed to have created the pictographs believe that a photograph "takes away" some of the original image and thereby harms the pictograph.

CanoeViking: "I have not had the privilege yet of getting to see any of the pictographs yet.

I was wondering three things...

1. What tribe(s) created them?
2. What was their source of "paint"?
3. Where would you recommend going to see some good, clear pictographs?

Thanks,
CV"

1) Ojibwa or their Algonkian-speaking ancestors.
2) Rusted iron ore (red ochre) was mixed with a binding agent, possibly bear grease or sturgeon oil. The binder left no film between the pigment and the rock, creating a permanent bond better and longer-lasting than modern paint which would blister or flake with changing temperatures.
3) Pictograph sites in Ontario

Are we - they - sure pictographs are not just ancient graffiti? or some kind of territorial markers? You know - see who can paint on the rock the highest above the water? or the moose I killed is bigger than yours? or my new canoe is better than you canoe? Just asking? None of the books seem to really tell the "meaning" of these drawings - They only seem to make guesses.
Wait a few hundred years for someone to find the sculpture garden at Loring Park-Art Museum in Minneapolis. What will they think of the "Spoon and Cherry"?

Grandma L: "...pictographs are not just ancient graffiti? ."

Just ancient graffiti? Paint 'em over with modern graffiti should not be an issue then...

who cares? Its just older graffitti...

I do not support the vandalism!! Whatever they mean, they are historic, come from a culture we should value and traditions we should respect.

I picture a handful of teenagers getting their butts chewed on by "Dad/Elders" for taking the family canoe and Tagging rocks in the Hood.. Resulting in NO CANOE for you for a month and you can't hang out with those kids anymore...

Goldenbadger: "The pictos on the Basswood River are amazing and there are a lot of them. I'm not sure why pictures would be disrespectful. Just don't touch them. Michael Furtman's book is excellent."

No expert on this issue at all.
But to me,pictures make it available for others to see these past artifacts and maybe appreciate Indian culture and the area if pictures taken? A lot of the pictographs to me show and tell a story of hunting and it is a message to pass on?
Also with zero reference on my part,I know various groups of Indian tribes say pictures should not be taken. I just wonder how and when they determined that? There was no cameras back than so no one or group at that time could say pictures would affect the Pictographs in anyway? Like I am saying I have no reference on my part,but wonder how and when they determined it was wrong to photograph? Just wondering?

It would be very interesting to hear the story behind all the pictographs, till then I will just enjoy looking at them.

Thanks again for sharing the useful info and I think we will be visiting the Hegman Pictos this summer and hopefully a couple others.

I highly recommend these guides for use on your trips to pictograph sites. They are clear, make it easy to find and learn about the pictographs. While not a replacement for longer books back at home or in the cabin, they definitely augment them. They were available in Ely for a while but are now easiest to get online from the author/publisher.

Northwoods Memories Multimedia Productions pictograph guides