This image at the Daly Petroglyphs shows three incised rectangular-bodied warriors,
an incised shield-bearing warrior and a smaller incised rectangular-bodied figure.
The petroglyphs are outlined in white. Ann Stephens, a University of Wyoming master’s
student studying anthropology, prepared the site listing for the National Register
of Historic Places. (Mavis Greer Photo)
The Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has announced a new listing
on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). And a University of Wyoming graduate
student prepared the National Register listing.
The Daly Petroglyphs -- an archaeological site in the Powder River Basin in northeast
Wyoming -- were successfully listed May 19 by Ann Stephens, a third-year UW master’s
student studying anthropology. Stephens, of Hyattville, was an intern in the SHPO’s
student internship program.
The Daly site is located on state lands and consists of several petroglyph panels
with date ranges spanning from approximately 1,500 years before the present to the
mid-19th century.
The imagery depicted at the site reflects the traditional cultural and spiritual beliefs
of Native American tribes, such as the Crow (Apsáalooke), who occupied the region
for the last 1,500 years. Dominant types of art reflected at the site include shield-bearing
warriors, rectangular-bodied figures, geometric images and abraded hands.
“By design alone, Daly is an impressive feat. It features life-size, highly decorated
warrior figures, the retelling of a Crow myth and inscriptions of Indigenous names
from the early 1800s -- all carved into the same space,” Stephens says. “That kind
of continuity is incredibly rare in rock art, and it speaks to how important this
site really is. In a landscape as vast and sparse as the Powder River Basin, Daly
stands out as a uniquely powerful and meaningful place.”
The Daly Petroglyphs site was originally documented by archaeologists Mavis and John
Greer, well-known Wyoming archaeologists, in the 1970s and, again, in the early 2000s.
The listing represents the culmination of all research and recording efforts, emphasizing
the site’s importance to our understanding of rock art in the Powder River Basin.
“The whole point of the NRHP nomination is to build a solid case, so the site can
be federally recognized and protected,” Stephens says. “And to do that, you need to
pull together a lot of solid historical, cultural and archaeological evidence to show
why it’s a significant place.”
To prepare the listing, Stephens had to first familiarize herself with National Register of Historic Places guidelines. The nomination had to follow a strict
and standardized format, so Stephens had to learn how to write the listing in a way
that meets expectations and is publishable.
“The more significant part of the process was conducting a lot of background research
on the region’s archaeological history and the history of Indigenous tribes who lived
in that region,” she says. “What was most important for this site was understanding
the historical context of the rock art that's represented -- figuring out what makes
it unique and why it matters in the broader history of Wyoming and Indigenous culture.
“
Earlier this year, the Wyoming Legislature passed a bill increasing penalties for
damage to rock art sites on state lands. According to State Archaeologist Spencer
Pelton, over 150 rock art sites in Wyoming have been vandalized or defaced in some
way. The passage of this new bill, along with the listing of the Daly Petroglyphs
on the National Register, serves as an important reminder to protect and preserve
these significant cultural resources.
The listing comes at a momentous time: the NRHP has officially reached over 100,000 properties listed for their significance
to American history, culture, archaeology, engineering, art and architecture.
For more information about the Daly Petroglyphs, call Gwendolyn Kristy, who leads
the NRHP internship program, at (307) 766-5366 or email gwendolyn.kristy@wyo.gov.
About the National Register of Historic Places
The NRHP is the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
It is managed by the National Park Service and updated weekly. In Wyoming, there are
more than 600 buildings, archaeological sites, districts and objects listed on the
NRHP. To learn more about the NRHP, visit nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm.
For more information about the National Register program in Wyoming, call Cassandra
Woster, SHPO's National Register program specialist, at (307) 777-7530 or email cassandra.woster@wyo.gov.
