Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi
Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi
The property is located on the northern edge of the semi-arid Great Plains of North America, on the border between Canada and the United States of America. The Milk River Valley dominates the topography of this cultural landscape, which is characterized by a concentration of pillars or hoodoos – columns of rock sculpted by erosion into spectacular shapes. The Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksikáíítsitapi) left engravings and paintings on the sandstone walls of the Milk River Valley, bearing testimony to messages from Sacred Beings. Dated in situ archaeological remains cover a period between ca. 4,500 BP - 3,500 years BP and the Contact Period. This landscape is considered sacred to the Blackfoot people, and their centuries-old traditions are perpetuated through ceremonies and in enduring respect for the places.
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi
Le bien se trouve au nord des Grandes Plaines semi-arides de l’Amérique du Nord, à la frontière entre le Canada et les États-Unis. La vallée de la Milk River domine la topographie de ce paysage culturel caractérisé par une concentration de cheminées des fées ou hoodoos – des colonnes sculptées par l’érosion en des formes spectaculaires. La Confédération des Blackfoot (Siksikáítsitapi) a laissé des gravures et des peintures sur les parois de grès de la vallée de la Milk River, témoignages des esprits. Les vestiges archéologiques datés in situ couvrent une période comprise entre environ 4 500 BP - 3 500 ans BP et la Période du contact. Ce paysage est considéré comme sacré par le peuple Blackfoot dont les traditions séculaires se perpétuent par des cérémonies et un respect des lieux.
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
الكتابة على الحجر
يقع هذا الموقع شمال السهول الكبرى شبه القاحلة في أمريكا الشمالية، على الحدود بين كندا والولايات المتحدة. ويهيمن وادي الميلك ريفر على تضاريس هذا المشهد الثقافي الذي يتميز بالعدد الكبير لأعمدة الهودوس فيه، وهي عبارة عن أعمدة منحوتة تشكلت بفعل ظاهرة التعرية متخذة أشكالاً مذهلة. وقد ترك شعب البلاكفوت الأصلي مجموعة من النقوش واللوحات على جدران الحجر الرملي لوادي الميلك ريفر، تحمل رسائل من كائنات مقدسة. يعود تاريخ البقايا الأثرية إلى عام 1800 قبل الميلاد وحتى بداية فترة ما بعد الاتصالمع الحضارات الأخرى. ويعتبر هذا المشهد مقدساً لدى الناس، وتقاليدهم العريقة التي لا تزال قائمة بفضل الاحتفالات والاحترام الذي يكنه السكان للمواقع الأثرية.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
阿伊斯奈皮石刻
该遗址位于半干旱的北美大平原的北部边缘、加拿大与美国接壤处。米尔克河谷是该文化景观的主体，这里有成片的“岩柱”——侵蚀作用形成锥形岩层奇观。黑脚族（Siksikáitsitapi）人在米尔克河砂岩壁上留下的雕刻绘画是原住民文明的见证。这些考古遗迹可追溯到公元前1800年至欧洲文明进入初期。这一景观被认为是黑脚族的圣地，黑脚族人以仪式和对这片土地的敬畏延续他们的古老传统。
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Райтинг-он-Стоун/Áisínai'pi
Этот объект расположен к северу от полузасушливых Великих равнин Северной Америки на границе между Канадой и Соединенными Штатами Америки. Долина реки Милк занимает центральное место в топографии этого культурного ландшафта, характеризующегося многочисленными высокими тонкими колоннами худу изумительной формы, образованными вследствие эрозии почвы. Песчаники, расположенные вдоль реки Милк, украшены уникальными гравюрами и петроглифами, оставленными народом Блэкфут (Siksikáíítsitapi). Эти наскальные изображения служили народу Блэкфут средством общения со священными духами. Археологические остатки, найденные на территории этого объекта, относятся к периоду от 1800 г. до н. э. до начала постконтактного периода. Блэкфут считают этот ландшафт священным, что отражается в их многовековых традициях уважения к данному месту и церемониальных обрядах.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi
Situado al norte de la región árida de las Grandes Llanuras de América del Norte, en los límites de la frontera con los Estados Unidos, este sitio cultural se extiende por el valle del río Milk, cuya topografía se caracteriza por la concentración de grandes columnas rocosas de arenisca esculpidas por la erosión en formas espectaculares, popularmente denominadas “hoodoos” o chimeneas de las hadas. El pueblo amerindio siksikáítsitapi (“Pies negros”) ha grabado y pintado en las rocas del valle imágenes que muestran sus creencias espirituales. Los primeros de estos vestigios arqueológicos se remontan al año 1.800 a.C., mientras que los últimos datan de principios del periodo posterior al contacto de los nativos americanos con los blancos. El pueblo siksikáítsitapi considera sagrado este paisaje cultural y su veneración por el mismo se ha perpetuado con la celebración de ceremonias tradicionales.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Outstanding Universal Value
Brief synthesis
Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi is a sacred site in a mixed grassland prairie region on the northern edge of the Great Plains. The Milk River Valley and several “coulees” dominate the topography of this cultural landscape, whose geological features include a concentration of hoodoos, with spectacular forms sculpted by erosion. The Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksikáítsitapi) has left engravings and paintings on the sandstone walls and landscape features, which bear witness to spirit messages. The landscape is considered to be sacred by the Blackfoot people, and centuries-old traditions are perpetuated today in various ceremonies and in the respect in which the place is held.
The property consists of three components - the main component Áísínai’pi, and some 10 km away Haffner Coulee and Poverty Rock - and contains thousands of rock art images. Dated in situ archaeological remains cover a period between ca. 4,500 BP -3,500 years BP and the Contact Period. The rock art has been made in the valley for thousands of years, with most of the images dating to the later Pre-contact and early Post-contact periods (1,000 years BP to the mid- nineteenth century), with the oldest art possibly dating up to ca. 3,000 years BP.
Criterion (iii): The sacred landscape and the rock art of Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi provide exceptional testimony to the living cultural traditions of the Blackfoot people. According to Blackfoot beliefs, spiritual powers inhabit the earth, and the characteristics of the landscape and the rock art in the property reflect tangible, profound and permanent links with this tradition. The viewsheds of the sacred valley, with high grassland prairies, also contribute to its sacred character and influence traditional cultural practices.
Integrity
All the elements that are necessary to express Outstanding Universal Value are contained within the property boundaries, including a comprehensive representation of culturally significant landforms, a full range of characteristics of the two main documented traditions of rock art at Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi, and the viewsheds that contribute to their sacred character. The tangible and intangible attributes of Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi continue to be incorporated in the cultural and spiritual context of the Blackfoot people today. The rodeo grounds, located in the heart of the restricted access zone or archaeology reserve, should be removed and relocated in order to strengthen the property’s integrity.
Authenticity
The authenticity of the form and conception of the property, of materials and substance, of situation and setting, of use and function, of traditions, of spirit and impression is well established, and is corroborated by large amounts of traditional, ethnographic and archaeological evidence. The authenticity of the form and conception of the rock art is evidenced by its subject, its formal and stylistic qualities, and its pictorial conventions and motifs, which correspond to well documented traditions of the indigenous peoples. The character of the landscape is intact and authentic, and has undergone few modifications since the beginning of European settlement. The archaeological excavations and the inventories have demonstrated the early date of settlement and use of the property by the indigenous peoples. The continuing traditional importance and ceremonial use of the property by the Blackfoot people bear witness to the authenticity of its intangible values, its situation and its setting.
Management and protection requirements
Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi is entirely protected and managed by virtue of the provisions of the Provincial Parks Act of Alberta. The three components of the serial property and the associated buffer zones are included in the provincial park of Writing-on-Stone. Industrial and commercial development inside the property is prohibited. More than 21% of the property is located in a restricted access zone, preventing unauthorised public access to the zones that are most sensitive in cultural terms, although the Blackfoot people are still allowed access for traditional purposes. All the property’s cultural attributes are subject to the protection provisions of the Historical Resources Act of Alberta, the highest level of protection in this Canadian jurisdiction.
A comprehensive management system is in place, and a programme for monitoring the rock art has been implemented. The Blackfoot people are fully participating in the management of Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi, while ensuring appropriate management practices and continuous access for traditional and cultural practices. The management plan is regularly revised, and a new edition, drawn up in collaboration with the Blackfoot communities, is nearing completion. The Interim Management Directive will be used until the final stage of the public consultation has been completed, and the revised management plan has been adopted.
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