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THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2002

"In many parts of our world, ruins are prized and promoted for a variety of educational and economic benefits. With the increased value and importance comes increased preservation. The opposite of that preservation is neglect and accelerated loss. A ruin can be described as "the remains of something disintegrated." To determine a place a ruin could be one way to classify it as being valueless.

Or it could be an opportunity to assess the ruins of an ancient society that survived in very harsh circumstances and left a heritage for future generations. The chapters of heritage left by those that cared for the Indian Caves is extensive. The disintegrating pictographs are only one chapter.

In a recent Gazette article, Christopher Chippindale, a professor of archeology from Cambridge University in England, assessed the rock art of Pictograph Cave and determined it a ruin. Most of us appreciate his view and respect his qualified opinion. He does recognize the larger issue. What is there at the Indian Caves of value? To Chippindale, the rock art was the highest value. It was compromised by the elements of water, natural disintegration, air pollution and human degradation, resulting in few options for investing in the ruin.

However, are there human values?"

Get the Story:
Guest Opinion: Indian Caves a 'ruin' worth preserving (Rich Pittsle. The Billings Gazette 4/25)