Petroglyph Provincial Park

Petroglyph Provincial Park, at the south end of Nanaimo near the Nanaimo River estuary, was established on August 24, 1948, to protect a dense concentration of rock carvings dating to at least the 10th century CE. These petroglyphs depict human figures, animals, and mythological sea creatures and are connected to the spiritual and cultural history of the Coast Salish and Snuneymuxw First Nations. Their placement reflects a broader tradition of marking places associated with especially strong natural forces, often near distinctive rock formations or water. The site preserves an unusually rich body of Indigenous cultural expression spanning many centuries.

Canada