View source for Earth:Jeffers Petroglyphs

{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Jeffers Petroglyphs Site
| nrhp_type = 
| image = JeffersPetroglyphs090536pr.jpg
| caption = Jeffers Petroglyphs looking South East. Image is from a Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress), April, 1990
| nearest_city = Jeffers, Minnesota
| coordinates = {{coord|44|5|31|N|95|3|13|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = Minnesota#USA
| area = 
| architect = 
| architecture = 
| added = October 15, 1970
| refnum = 70000291<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>
| designated_other1_name = Minnesota State Register of Historic Places
}}

The '''Jeffers Petroglyphs''' site is an [[Earth:Outcrop|outcrop]] in southwestern Minnesota with pre-contact Native American petroglyphs. The petroglyphs are pecked into rock of the Red Rock Ridge, a {{convert|23|mi|km|0|sing=on}}-long Sioux quartzite outcrop that extends from Watonwan County, Minnesota to Brown County, Minnesota. The exposed surface is approximately {{convert|150|by|650|ft|m|-1}} and surrounded by virgin prairie. "The site lies in an area inhabited in the early historic period by the Dakota Indians, and both the style and form of some of the carvings are identical with motifs that appear on Dakota hide paintings and their [[Biology:Quillwork|quill designs]] and beadwork. Others are foreign to this Plains Indian tradition and seem to be much earlier in origin."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lothson|first=Gordon A.|url=https://archive.org/details/jefferspetroglyp0000loth|title=The Jeffers Petroglyphs Site: A Survey and Analysis of the Carvings|date=1976|publisher=St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-87351-100-1|pages=Foreword}}</ref> Several old wagon trail ruts traverse the site, one of which is believed to be the old stage coach route from New Ulm, Minnesota to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.<ref name='Roefer'>Roefer</ref>

The exact age of the petroglyphs is not known, but the earliest petroglyphs are estimated to be from 9000 to 7000 years ago (7000 to 5000 BCE).<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jp/history.htm|work=Jeffers Petroglyphs|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|access-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref> but some atlatl symbols at Jeffers are a close match with similar symbols at Indian Knoll in Kentucky, which have been dated to 3000 BCE during the Late Archaic Period.  Another clue to the age comes from the projectile point carvings, which show a projectile point design used by hunters in the Late Archaic Period.  Other carvings, such as thunderbirds, dragonflies, turtles, and shamans, indicate symbols used by later tribes such as the Otoe tribe, Sioux, and Iowa tribe.  These are believed to date between 900 CE and 1750 CE. There are over 4000 American Indian images preserved in the bedrock. The bedrock was flattened and smoothed over by glaciers 14000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|title=History: Jeffers Petroglyphs|url=http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jp/history.htm|access-date=March 21, 2011}}</ref>
[[File:Turtle and man art taken in 1990 detail, Jeffers Petroglyphs - 090539pr (cropped).jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Turtle and man art]]
Several archaeologists have hypothesized theories about the purpose of the carvings. Some hypotheses include the practice of hunting magic, performance of sacred ceremonies, or recording historical events in the lives of warriors, shamans, and chiefs. The exact age and purpose of the carvings is only speculation, not established fact. Meanwhile, some Native Americans view the Jeffers site as sacred ground and a very spiritual place, not merely a site to be studied and speculated upon. Jerry Flute, a Dakota elder, was quoted as saying, "To the contemporary Native Americans who reside in and around the state, [Jeffers Petroglyphs] is a very spiritual place. It is a place where Grandmother Earth speaks of the past, present and future."

[[Image:Jeffers Petroglyphs Arrow.jpg|right|thumb| An example of a petroglyph]]
The Minnesota Historical Society purchased the site from W. R. Jeffers, Jr. in 1966<ref name='Roefer'/> and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It is maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society and is open to the public between May and September. The site is bracketed by two important tracts of tallgrass prairie: Rock Ridge Prairie Scientific and Natural Area to the northwest<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/sna02025/index.html|title=Rock Ridge Prairie SNA|access-date=April 13, 2007|publisher=Minnesota Department of Natural Resources|year=2007}}</ref> and Red Rock Prairie, a preserve of The Nature Conservancy, to the east. Here federally threatened prairie bush clover is found, as well as big bluestem, Indian grass, gray-headed coneflower, Maximilian's sunflower, cordgrass and [[Biology:Coreopsis|coreopsis]]. The [[Biology:Upland sandpiper|upland sandpiper]], [[Biology:Regal fritillary|regal fritillary]] and [[Biology:Oarisma poweshiek|Poweshiek skipper]] can be found on these prairies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/minnesota/preserves/art12271.html|title=Red Rock Prairie|access-date=April 13, 2007|publisher=The Nature Conservancy|year=2007}}</ref>

The visitor center is open from May through September and features hands-on exhibits and a multimedia presentation about the site. Daily natural and cultural history programs are offered about such topics as [[Earth:Archaeology|archaeology]], how Native Americans made and used the atlatl, a travois and [[Engineering:Rope|cordage]], and prairie wildlife and plants.

==Astronomy at Jeffers Petroglyphs==
The Starry Night, Prairie Night event is held annually in the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://events.mnhs.org/media/news/release.cfm?ID=1696|title=Starry Night, Prairie Night}}</ref>  During this time the park manager allows amateur astronomers to use the park and facilities. Many amateur astronomers attend this event and several members bring their telescopes and allow, and often encourage, others to share their views of the night sky.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mnaa/message/2255|title=Yahoo Groups – Minnesota Amateur Astronomers message thread titled "Jeffers"}}{{dead link|date=December 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>  This site is valued not only because of its historic nature but also because of its dark night skies. The site is much darker than most populated areas in Minnesota and is rated '''green'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/PrrGrssSMNkey.html?1|title=Prairie Grass Stargaze Clear Sky Chart}}</ref> by the [[Astronomy:Clear Sky Chart|Clear Sky Chart]].

==References==
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==Further reading==
* {{cite book
 | last = Gardner
 | first = Denis P.
 | year = 2004
 | title = Minnesota Treasures: Stories Behind the State's Historic Places
 | publisher=Minnesota Historical Society
 | location = St. Paul, Minnesota
 | isbn = 0-87351-471-8
}}
*{{cite book
 | last=Roefer
 | first=Florence
 | title=The Centennial History of Cottonwood County Minnesota 1970
 | publisher=Cottonwood County Historical Society
 | year=1970
 | pages=324–325
 | chapter=Cottonwood County Petroglyphs
}}

==External links==
*[http://sites.mnhs.org/historic-sites/jeffers-petroglyphs Minnesota Historical Society: Jeffers Petroglyphs] 
*[http://www.jefferspetroglyphs.com/ Friends of the Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site]

{{Registered Historic Places}}

[[Category:Quartzite formations]]

{{Sourceattribution|Jeffers Petroglyphs}}