Indian Cave Petroglyphs (West Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Indian Cave Petroglyphs
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| Nearest city | Good Hope, West Virginia |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001937 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1976 |
The Indian Cave Petroglyphs are ancient rock carvings found near Good Hope, in Harrison County, West Virginia. These special carvings are located on the back wall of a rock shelter. A rock shelter is like a shallow cave or an overhang in a cliff.
The carvings cover an area about 20 feet long and 4 feet high. They are an important part of history in the area.
Indian Cave Petroglyphs
What are Petroglyphs?
Petroglyphs are images carved into rock. They are made by removing part of the rock surface. Ancient people often made them by pecking, cutting, or rubbing. These carvings can show animals, people, or symbols. They give us clues about how people lived long ago.
Discovery and Study
The Indian Cave Petroglyphs were first written about by an archaeologist named William Henry Holmes. An archaeologist is a scientist who studies human history. They do this by digging up and examining old objects and sites. Holmes visited the site in 1889. He worked for a group called the Bureau of American Ethnology.
Holmes also found old pottery at the site. This pottery suggests that people lived in or visited this rock shelter. They might have been there between the years 500 and 1675.
Another archaeologist, James L. Swauger, studied the carvings again in 1970. Because they are so important, the Indian Cave Petroglyphs were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The National Register of Historic Places is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
