All of the hard red clay in the world (pipestone, or, catlinite) from which sacred pipes (peace pipes to most of you) are carved comes from one quarry in Pipestone, Minnesota. The site has been worked for at least 1,000 years by members of many tribes.
Even today, only handtools -- predominantly sledges and pry bars -- are permitted in the quarrying of the stone which lies in a seam beneath 18 feet of quartzite overburden.
Back in 2003, I think it was, I was visiting the Pipestone National Monument and was invited to accompany one of the Dakotah quarriers into his pit and make some photographs of him at work.
Quarrying the stone is regarded as a sacred act and so, the quarrier will pray and smudge himself with sage smoke before he begins his work.
The quarrier had just finished the ceremony when I looked to the north and saw this:
Tell me what you see.