Ribstones near Viking, Alberta

Photos: the Viking Ribstones; below, a recent painting on stone, with offerings of tobacco and coins. A wonderful set of pictures of these can be found on the blog of Heidi Nikolaisen

A few months ago, I was daydreaming about a visit to the ancient cave paintings at Lascaux. Little did I know I was about to see some carvings almost half as old, quite nearby on the Canadian prairie.

Until the last week of August, when I took a trip to Viking, Alberta, I didn't know the ribstones existed. Overall, the prairie is pretty flat, but some places are a little higher, and it was to such a place a few kilometers out of town that I was taken by some local friends to see the Viking Ribstones.

These very old monuments are by no means the only ancient stone carvings in Alberta, though they are the only ones that remain in situ. They express the longstanding reverence of aboriginal peoples for the buffalo. Until quite recently, this animal provided the people of the plains with food, clothing and shelter.

We stopped by the highway to read the sign, and then approached the fenced monument from a tiny parking lot big enough for no more than half a dozen cars. From the rise, we could see in every direction.

The stones themselves are not large. Two remain where a family of three once lay. The smallest stone, representing the buffalo calf, was taken away some time ago. These bleached carvings, with the timothy growing around them, appear to have been created thousands of years ago to revere the spirit of the buffalo.

When we approached the stones, we noticed that a recently painted stone had been left, and people had placed offerings of tobacco and small change around the area. In the nearby grove of poplars, strips of colorful cloth were tied. In the past, offerings were left following a successful hunt; clearly, these places remain important to the Cree.

Until last month, I had no idea these intriguing stones existed. Sometimes we go to a lot of trouble and expense to travel to other continents to see wonderful things. Meanwhile, we may remain unaware of the marvels in our own back yards.