New Dates Reveal Ancient Use of Saskatchewan Petroglyph Site
New radiocarbon dates from the St. Victor Petroglyph Site in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, are providing fresh evidence about the long history of human activity at one of the province's important archaeological and heritage locations.
Researchers dated two bone samples recovered from separate pits beneath a sandstone cliff covered with more than 360 petroglyphs.
One sample dates to approximately A.D. 900, while the second dates to 120 B.C.—around 2,100 years ago.
The dates do not directly establish when the carvings were made. However, archaeologists say they strongly suggest that people were using the location at least as far back as the second century B.C.
What the Radiocarbon Dates Tell Us
The two bone samples were recovered from separate pits located beneath the sandstone cliff bearing the petroglyphs.
Radiocarbon analysis produced two significantly different dates:
120 B.C. — approximately 2,100 years ago
A.D. 900 — roughly 1,100 years ago
Archaeologist Tim Jones emphasized that the dates cannot be used to directly date the carvings themselves.
Instead, they establish evidence for human activity at the particular location during these periods.
Jones said the results are “very suggestive” that people were using the site, and possibly making carvings, as far back as approximately 2,100 years ago.
That distinction is important. The available evidence demonstrates ancient use of the site, but it does not prove that the petroglyphs themselves were created on either of those exact dates.
A Site With More Than 360 Carvings
The St. Victor Petroglyph Site contains more than 360 carvings on a sandstone cliff in southern Saskatchewan.
The large number of petroglyphs makes the location particularly important to Saskatchewan's archaeological and cultural heritage.
According to Jones, the concentration of carvings makes the site a very significant heritage location for the province.
The new dating evidence adds chronological information to a site whose carvings have long provided evidence of Indigenous activity in the region.
Seasonal Travel and First Nations History
Researchers suggest that the carvings were made by First Nations people who traveled through the area seasonally.
The new dates support a picture of the location being used repeatedly over a long period rather than representing a single episode of activity.
However, the supplied source does not identify the specific First Nations community or communities responsible for the carvings.
It also does not establish exactly when individual petroglyphs were produced.
Those questions remain part of the wider archaeological investigation.
Another Bone Sample Could Push the Date Further Back
Researchers are not finished with the dating work.
Another bone recovered from a deeper layer of one of the pits is planned for radiocarbon dating.
Because the sample comes from a deeper archaeological layer, its results could potentially provide additional information about the antiquity of human activity at the location.
The outcome could help researchers build a more detailed chronological sequence for the site's use.
Why the Discovery Matters
The new dates provide important evidence for the long history of Indigenous presence in Saskatchewan.
The earlier bone sample, dated to 120 B.C., indicates that people were using the location approximately 2,100 years ago.
Although this does not directly date the petroglyphs, it establishes that the landscape around the carvings was being visited during a much earlier period than the A.D. 900 date might suggest.
Karin Steuber of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society placed the discovery within the broader history of the province, emphasizing that Saskatchewan has been occupied by people since time immemorial.
The findings therefore contribute not only to the study of the petroglyph site but also to understanding the depth of Indigenous history in the region.
Dating the Site Without Dating the Carvings
One of the most important points in the discovery is the distinction between dating archaeological activity at a site and dating the rock art itself.
Radiocarbon dating the bone samples provides dates for the organic remains recovered from the archaeological pits.
It does not provide a direct radiocarbon date for the engraved sandstone.
As a result, the 120 B.C. date should be understood as evidence that people were using the location by that time—not as proof that all, or even specific, petroglyphs were carved in 120 B.C.
Future archaeological research may provide additional evidence for establishing when different phases of activity occurred.
The Next Stage of Research
Researchers plan to analyze another bone from deeper within one of the pits.
Additional dating could help determine whether human use of the location extends further into the past.
Combined with archaeological examination of the pits and detailed study of the more than 360 carvings, the new evidence could help researchers better understand how the site was used across generations.
For now, the radiocarbon results provide a significant chronological anchor: people were using this location by approximately 2,100 years ago.
Conclusion
New radiocarbon dates from Saskatchewan's St. Victor Petroglyph Site have revealed evidence of human activity dating back approximately 2,100 years.
The two bone samples produced dates of 120 B.C. and A.D. 900, demonstrating that people were using the area during widely separated periods.
The evidence does not directly date the petroglyphs, but archaeologists say it is strongly suggestive that the site was being used—and possibly that carvings were being produced—by around 120 B.C.
With more than 360 carvings already documented and another bone sample awaiting analysis, St. Victor continues to offer important evidence for the long history of Indigenous presence and activity in Saskatchewan.
FAQ
How old is the St. Victor Petroglyph Site?
New radiocarbon evidence indicates that people were using the location at least approximately 2,100 years ago, based on a bone sample dated to 120 B.C.
What did researchers date?
Researchers radiocarbon dated two bone samples recovered from separate pits beneath the sandstone cliff containing the petroglyphs.
What dates were obtained?
The samples were dated to 120 B.C. and A.D. 900.
Do the dates directly date the petroglyphs?
No. The radiocarbon dates come from bone samples and therefore date the archaeological material, not the sandstone carvings themselves.
How many petroglyphs are at St. Victor?
The site contains more than 360 carvings.
Who made the carvings?
The source states that researchers believe First Nations people who traveled through the region seasonally made the carvings. It does not identify a specific community.
Will researchers conduct more dating?
Yes. Researchers plan to date another bone recovered from a deeper layer of one of the pits.
Where is the St. Victor Petroglyph Site?
It is located in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, beneath a sandstone cliff containing the petroglyphs.
