Riding to the rescue: an addition to the Plains Biographic rock art lexicon

Abstract

Depictions of two riders mounted on a single horse appear in Plains Biographic rock art at five sites. Comparison of these images with late nineteenth century Plains Indian drawings on hide and paper indicates that the pictographs and petroglyphs commemorate instances in which mounted warriors rescued comrades who had been unhorsed in battle. Ethnographic material confirms that several Plains Indian societies held this deed in high esteem. These societies employed formal mechanisms for recognizing individuals who had rescued comrades. While the importance of martial themes in Plains Biographic rock art has been widely acknowledged, emphasis has been placed on the acts of counting coup, capturing weapons, and taking horses. The identification of depictions of two warriors on a single horse as rescue scenes adds to our understanding of the diversity of martial exploits recognized by Plains Indian societies.