The Maker of Peace
Seminole Canyon State Historical Park
May 21, 1994
The Artist's Interpretation
Through observation of their pictographic imagery, it is thought that the Ancients of this area believed the power of their shamans allowed them to enter altered states of existence. With this in mind, I have chosen to depict The Maker of Peace as a personification of the whitetail deer, primarily because such an identity marks an important link between this animal and the lifestyle of the Lower Pecos culture. The deerskin, shown here as a cape, signifies the shaman's spiritual leadership, while the antlers represent wisdom, maturity and regeneration.
The implements displayed on his right arm - a spear with a dart and a Langtry point, and an atlatl - bear significance to the survival of this people, in that they represent incredibly sophisticated tools of the hunt essential to their livelihood. His right shoulder is encircled by the Golden Ring of Forever™, a symbol of eternity, infinity, completeness, and the cyclical nature of the universe. About his neck is an etched pebble, the prototype of the art that has adorned these rock shelters for thousands of years.
The bird on the staff is a portrayal of the human soul. As a tribal leader concerned with spiritual matters the shaman revered the soul in flight. The polished area embellished with the Lower Pecos style engravings on the body represents the lions, which throughout the ages have been deemed the seat of strength, regeneration, and courage. The limestone base upon which The Maker of Peace stands was selected from this area as a representation of the rock shelters in which these people dwelled. While these interpretations give a dimension to the essence of the work, we need to keep in mind that they are only guesses, and that the mysteries of the Lower Pecos iconology may never be fully disclosed.
A STATEMENT FROM THE ARTIST ABOUT THE DEDICATION AT SEMINOLE CANYON STATE PARK
MAY 21, 1994
Having held a personal reverence for the artists of the Lower Pecos region for a number of years, it is a wonderful privilege to have been given the opportunity of honoring them through my own creative expression, The Maker of Peace. As many of you know, I have had a heartfelt desire to sculpt a monumental tribute to this people whose art, painted on the walls and cliffs of these river areas, gives us a glimpse of our little known prehistoric Texas heritage. Their pictographs are an art form that deserves to be recognized and preserved. I am grateful for being a part of this effort to do both these things through The Rock Art Foundation and the many, many, unnamed others who have been instrumental in making this dream a reality.
It is my desire that you find you own special sense of the meaning of this sculpture and that you do whatever you are capable of doing to help protect the thousands of paintings that still exist not only in this area, but in all ancient rock art sites, wherever they may be.
Bill Worrell, Art, Texas
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