Native American Drawings
The Native American people used symbols as a form of communication. Ancient drawings found from around the world show that their drawings were also a form of history. This was their way of writing down their stories for future generations. The drawings told stories about their traditions and customs, as well as what past generations went through during their own time.
The difficulty that arises is deciphering what these symbols mean. The basic drawings of men and women are easy enough to read, but other drawings are harder to read. The Native American people used symbols that others in their tribe could understand, but not necessarily outsiders such as the white settlers arriving in the area.
Many of the symbols used in these drawings related to things found in nature, but in an almost abstract way. For example, the symbol for water was three wavy lines, sometimes scrawled across cave walls. They used other symbols to indicate things in nature such as animals and plants. The placement of the figures also depicted certain human emotions such as fear or pride.
Resources on Native American drawings include:
- American Indian Symbols Dictionary: lists drawings and symbols used by different tribes along with their meaning.
- Native American Drawings: shows etchings taken from real Native American sites.
- Native American Symbols: details different types of symbols used by the Native American people and the meanings.
- What Does This Indian Symbol Mean?: includes information on symbols used by tribes in the southwest.
- Tainter Cave Rock Art: provides information and photographs on Native American cave art found in Wisconsin.
The drawings and symbols found in the United States date back several hundred years and are constantly being uncovered. As recently as 2007, researchers in Wisconsin discovered previously unknown and undocumented cave paintings. As very few Native Americans in early years learned to speak English, their history passed from generation to generation. There aren't many recorded histories of these people, which means the drawings and symbols they left behind are one of the only ways to understand and learn about their history.
