Nova Scotia Archives

George Creed - Mi'kmaq Petroglyphs

Tracing of a petroglyph of an animal and what may be a turtle and a boat with human figures aboard

Date: 1888

Petroglyph tracings F: Animals, birds, snakes #4. 5 negatives. Marion Robertson's Rock Drawings of the Micmac Indians interpret this petroglyph as "Perhaps a sea turtle… To the Micmacs the turtle as a symbolic emblem of a band, family, or individual was of the highest rank. Among Micmac traditions Glooscap's mother was the female turtle; his old uncle, his mother's brother, Mikchikch, was transformed by Glooscap into a turtle and sent on his way well protected from his enemies."

Reference: George Creed - Petroglyphs Nova Scotia Archives MG 15 Vol. 13-I F4

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