Women in War: Gender in Plains Biographic Rock Art

Abstract

Women are not commonly drawn in northern Plains rock art, but they do occur in both the Ceremonial and Biographic traditions. When shown in Ceremonial rock art they appear in structure and content roles equivalent to those of males. In contrast, in later Biographic art they appear in various roles—from vanquished enemy to kidnapped wife—but these are nearly always subordinate to the male actors in these scenes. The newly recorded La Barge Bluffs site in Wyoming contains the most complex northern Plains biographic composition yet known that shows women. This scene integrates women as war captive, adoptee, and dance participants and, as such, illustrates nearly all the female roles of Biographic rock art. Although few in number, these women are always key elements for fully understanding the narratives of the scenes in which they participate.

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