Scott Maruna
On a cliff high over Alton, Illinois is a painted recreation of an ancient petroglyph that stood watch over the confluence of the rivers for centuries. The image depicts a unidentifiable winged, quadrapedal beast. A local legend describes how this creature, known regionally as the Piasa Bird, preyed on Native Americans until it was valiantly slain due to the bravery of chief named Ouatoga. What is the true story behand the image? Who created the petroglyph(s) hundreds of years ago and why? Was it the Illini? The Mound Builders? The Spanish? The Chinese? The French? Join local educator and author Scott Maruna as he investigates the true history of this grand anthropological artifact and the mysteries behind it.
The Curious Person's Guide to the History and Mystery of the Piasa Bird