WRITTEN IN STONE: A LANDSCAPE APPROACH TO EXAMINING OHIO PETROGLYPH SITES

Abstract

A petroglyph study was completed using a novel combination of landscape theory and GIS spatial analysis in Ohio. Building on the knowledge base of James L. Swauger’s 1984 publication of Petroglyphs of Ohio, petroglyph site data was checked against the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office Archives. These data were then compared with regional and local geology, hydrology, and known cultural sites using a GIS database. Significant insights were discovered linking petroglyph site locations to Ohio’s unglaciated plateau, “open areas consisting of sandstone,” and to waterways. These insights have contributed to the development of a new baseline of petroglyph knowledge in Ohio, paving the way for future petroglyph research in the state.Keywords: petroglyph, GIS, spatial analysis, landscape archaeology, Ohio archaeology