Book review: The Aboriginal Rock Paintings of the Churchill River
- Keith Foster | October 28, 2016
The Aboriginal Rock Paintings of the Churchill River is the second printing of a book originally published in 1981 based on author Tim Jones's thesis. By the time it went out of print in 2005, it had become a "best seller," having sold more copies than any other book dealing with Saskatchewan's archeological past. According to Jeff Baldwin, President of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, the book remains "the main published resource on the ancient rock art of Saskatchewan's north."
These rock paintings depict a variety of subjects, primarily human-like figures, thunderbirds, and snakes. Tobacco pipes, rings, crosses, bird tracks, beavers, and human faces with eyes and mouths are also depicted.
Over time, some of the paintings have eroded and will continue to erode by water seepage and rain. Others have been damaged by vandals chipping away at them or scratching their initials in the formations. One site will be inundated by water from a proposed dam reservoir.
In spite of the wealth of information provided in this study, more research could be undertaken. For instance, what makes the pigments in the rock paintings so bright? Jones puts forth several theories in his book.
The Aboriginal Rock Paintings of the Churchill River is illustrated with twenty-two colour photos, just a sampling of these paintings and their settings. Forty-one figures reproduce the paintings at their various sites. Many of the images are faded or incomplete, but most of these reproductions replicate the red ochre colour of the originals.