The arrangement of figures at the main panel of the North Hegman
Lake, Minnesota rock art site appears to have been carefully
composed at one time by one rock artist. Its present excellent
condition suggests either that it may not be especially old or
that it is a site where an older pictograph has been repainted.
The rock art appears to represent Ojibwe meridian constellations
visible in winter during the early evening, knowledge of which
may have been useful for navigating in the deep woods during the
winter hunting season. Support for a suggested multi-layered
interpretive model comes from a review of various culturally
specific ethnohistorical sources. The inclusion of elements from
widely known Ojibwe legends and references to constellations
with cosmological or religious significance make it an
intriguing scene with many interesting culturally specific
referents. This panel is perhaps the most visited and photogenic
pictograph within the State of Minnesota and it possesses
remarkable artistic merit. Som