The Medicine Wheel, 11 x 18″ Watercolor

Painted for the Prairies to Peaks Plein Air painting event August 1 – 13, 2011.  I climbed Medicine Wheel Mountain in the Big Horn Mountains,with my watercolor supplies in a backpack.  I enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of painting at the site.  Thank you to the park ranger staff, who granted me permission to sit and take in this spectacular site.  I took artistic license and omitted the wooden post fence which circles the perimeter, so to better see the form of the Medicine Wheel.

This is an areal view of the Medicine Wheel as seen today.  This image is from the site:  http://www.native-americans-online.com/native-american-medicine-wheel.html

Another good site to find more information and photos about this Wyoming Medicine Wheel, an amazing site is: http://solar-center.stanford.edu/AO/bighorn.html

It is unknown  exactly which Native American tribe  built this stone wheel atop the mountain, or what it’s exact age is.  It is estimated at being between 300 – 800 years old.  It is still utilized today by many tribes, for sacred rituals, and can be visited by the general public when not in use for a ceremony.  To have this exceptional piece of history still intact atop this mountain, and be able to visit it is truly a gift.