Recent collaborative pictograph research undertaken on Algonquin traditional lands in central and eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec has revealed the need for both technical and traditional approaches in the preservation of these fragile images. Our project — involving a holder of Algonquin spiritual knowledge, a pictograph specialist, and an archaeologist/historian — highlighted the challenges and intricacies associated with physically and spiritually preserving pictographs. The technical approach made use of high-resolution digital photography and computer enhancement techniques to recover a significant number of heavily deteriorated images — many of which could not be discerned with the naked eye. The traditional approach used traditional spiritual knowledge to locate and interpret sites, as well as engage with the surrounding environment, to preserve the spirit of the pictographs. We advocate using this dual-approach model, integrating technical and traditional methodologies, to achieve a holistic understanding of preserving and honouring the spirits of the sacred pictographs.