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'Medicine wheels' were commonly used by North American natives such as the Ojibwa and prehistoric ancestors of the Assiniboine. They are made by placing rocks down into a circle shape, and four lines or more of rocks are put down across the circle, or near the circle. Medicine wheels are used to mark the geographical directions and astronomical events of the sun, moon, some stars, and some planets in relation to the Earth's horizon at that location. These rock sites were also used for important ceremonies, teachings, and as sacred places to give thanks to the Creator, or Gitchi Manitou, known as the Great Spirit in the Ojibway native language. Other North American indigenous peoples also made these circle petroforms. Medicine wheels are very similar to circular turtle shaped petroforms with the legs, head, and tail pointing out the directions and aligned with astronomical events.
Some locations of medicine wheels are found in the prairie regions of North America, such as Manitoba, Wyoming, Montana, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Larger astronomical and ceremonial petroforms and Hopewell mound building can also be found in other places of North America.

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See also

★ Archaeoastronomy

External links

★ The Turtle and the Serpent