Exploring ancient rock carvings in the Susquehanna River with Paul Nevin

Hundreds of years ago, a group of Native Americans living along the lower Susquehanna River made an indelible mark on the valley. At what is now known as Safe Harbor, they made hundreds of carvings into the rocks found in the middle of the river.

Animals, bird and animal tracks, directional symbols, teaching or storytelling images, humans and anthropomorphic images, spiritual symbols and geometric and abstract designs were painstakingly carved into the boulder strewn landscape of the river. From the banks of the river, the sites look like any of the rocks found in the river. But up close, these stunning petroglyphs offer a window into a fascinating culture that we still know very little about. 

Despite Native Americans being driven from their homes, villages and hunting grounds. Despite countless floods. Despite dam construction. Despite pollution. Despite industry. And despite man’s constant need to exert his will over the river, these magnificent petroglyphs remain.

Big Indian Rock. Little Indian Rock. Circle Rock. Turkey Track Rock. Eagle Rock and Conestoga Rock.

Right in the middle of the Susquehanna River, as they have for hundreds of years. These sites are sacred spaces for Native Americans. The Safe Harbor Petroglyphs are a rare, direct connection to Indigenous peoples who lived along the Susquehanna River long before European contact.

For many Native communities, these carvings are not just historical artifacts but living cultural expressions—messages left by ancestors that carry spiritual meaning. Their location along the river, a vital life-giving force, further reinforces their sacred nature as places of reverence, storytelling and ancestral presence.

And unlike many pieces of indigenous rock art, they are accessible to the public. But that accessibility comes with a responsibility. 

These carvings are irreplaceable cultural and spiritual expressions created by Indigenous peoples, and even small actions—touching the rock, climbing on it, or disturbing the surrounding area—can cause permanent damage.

Visitors also have a responsibility to listen and learn. Approaching the petroglyphs with humility means acknowledging that this site holds meaning far deeper than what we may fully understand, and that it represents living cultures whose histories and voices have too often been ignored or erased.

On this episode, I speak with Paul Nevin. Paul is recognized as the leading authority of rock art of the lower Susquehanna River and is the author of the “A Guide to the Safe Harbor Petroglyphs.” 

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