The entire Southwest is littered with ancient Petroglyphs and Pictographs,
this post entry is dedicated to showing and discussing a few examples of that
Native American Treasure, known as Rock Art. Petroglyphs, Pictographs, and
Indian ruins, are just a natural part of hiking in the Southwest, you find them
almost anywhere one would hike, and many times those things are the object of
the hike.
Unfortunately, acts vandalism and theft also occur at these locations,
very few are protected in any way. I'm afraid many of these sites will someday
soon be closed to the public.
As I've explored the various locations containing Rock Art, I've come to be
very curious as to what the message of the Art might be. These etchings were
difficult to create, it required many hours of hard labor and determination, as
well as a great deal of artistic talent. The individual chipping away at the
rock would have been exposed to the elements of the desert environment, extreme heat or extreme cold, sometimes in high winds and blowing dust.
Anyone devoting so much time and energy to a drawing of this sort must have
considered his, or her, message to be of great importance, they weren't just
doodling.
Come on along, we're going in search of Petroglyphs, Getting there is a part of the fun. In the search you'll get some great exercise, breath some good clean air, and gain a deep appreciation for the great outdoors.
Walking in the desert will expose you these great examples of erosion, The top of this rise shows what all the terrain probably looked like many thousands of years ago, wind, water, and blowing sand has eroded the landscape this way. You see many such things as you walk in the Southwestern Desert.
Above and below are ruins of an old Indian village. The experts say these rock-lined vaults were built and used as storage for grains and other foods. This sight has survived the elements fairly well and is now partially protected by sheds.
Although there is a small stream near-by with a small area of soil near the stream, the small area seems more like space for a small garden, hardly large enough to produce the quantity of grain that would warrant these large storage bins. I can't help thinking these may have been the foundations of dwellings.
Even more fun than the search for Petroglyphs is some of the places where you find them. Sometimes you find them in very difficult places and other times in a place like this, a curiosity in itself, what I call Slot Rock.
Slot Rock. Although this site is less than ten miles from St. George, Utah, it is not well known and somewhat difficult to find. As you can see, it is partially hidden, by a large tree growing in the entrance, but it is also hidden away in a vast boulder field. Once inside the slot, you find it to be narrow but not uncomfortable in anyway. The floor is silty sand and some speculate, because some of the etchings are so high up on the walls, the sand was much deeper in the past. It is possible that over the years some of the sand has washed away, leaving the slot much deeper now than in the past.
Imagine yourself as an ancient Indian, looking at these black rock walls. This would have been like a brand new etch-a-sketch to them, and that's exactly how they used this natural black-board. The walls are covered with many petroglyphs.
The drawings inside the Slot Rock are very well preserved, hardly any weather related deterioration as is normal in the more exposed Petroglyphs you normally find.
These protected Petroglyphs seem to be etched much deeper into the rock than some you find out in the open, Perhaps because they didn't have the black, or dark, desert varnish for contrast, like you find with almost all exposed locations of Petroglyphs.
These drawings, mostly of animals are very well preserved inside the slot, the wind and blowing sand would not be as severe inside here, and any rainfall would be indirect contact, not driving into them head-on.
The above photo is of a portal opening, leading into Whitney Pocket, another interesting place. A Pocket is neither a canyon or a valley but is a small area completely surrounded by high rocks and mountains, this opening is the most practical means of entry or exit. The Petroglyph at the top of the entrance, I interpret to be the instructions, just slide through, head first or feet first.
Once inside the Pocket there are Petroglyphs in all directions, but care must be taken, some are located high in the rocks and some difficult to get to.
Some areas of rock is virtually covered with drawings, although it is difficult to know what they were trying to say, it's obvious it was important to the people doing the etchings.
Almost any rock with a flat, varnished surface, has Petroglyphs on it. I remember noticing this particular rock is facing the south, hundreds of years of direct summer sun, wind, rain, blowing sand, and still it is nearly pristine, very good condition.
If the above drawing was modern day, I could decipher it quickly. It almost appears to be a family outing, two children near the top playing tether-ball, a swing-set below them, two adults caring for other children to the side of the swing-set. If you click onto the photo and enlarge it you can see exactly what I've described.
For some reason hands seemed to be a favorite subject of Indian art, you find many etchings of hands. However, I have not seen a hand yet with a depiction of a thumb, always five fingers, no thumbs.
The above I included in the hand description but not at all sure it is supposed to be a hand. Some desert plants have long staff like stems growing from them with a flower/seedpod at the very top, but usually one stem/seedpod per plant.
This is a very strange group of hands, first, they are all pointed downward, most you see are pointing upward. I said before "always five fingers", that's not necessarily true. You'll notice the hand to the left has only four fingers, while the hand on the right has six. The center hand has seven fingers, I have no idea what this could represent, but I thought it to be interesting.
Feet also seemed to be an important subject of art, you'll find many etchings of feet, almost all groups of Petroglyphs have them. Some pointing downward as in the photo below and some pointing upward.
Below is what I call the death scene. The Indians almost always depicted themselves as kind of stick people. This person was depicted as upside down, an indication that person was probably dead. Off to the right is a snake, maybe the cause of death, and his faithful dog staying by his side waiting for him to wake up.
The above photo shows another prominent placement of a foot, but in this one notice it is placed close-by the spiral, almost all experts on the subject agree the spiral is their symbol of the universe and of life.You find the spiral in almost any Peroglyphs you see.
The most common animal depiction is of snakes, by far.
Still today there are many snakes in the rocks and brush of the desert, the natives of the ancient times probably had many close encounters with them.
Although deer are depicted occasionally, they are far less common in Petroglyphs than some other animals.
Big Horn Sheep are by far the most common animal depiction in the Petroglyphs of Southern Utah, Nevada, and Northwestern Arizona.
The two photos above are located in the Slot Rock, the one below is on a rock out on the Arizona Strip, exposed to the elements of weather daily.
Above is a well weathered Big Horn Sheep, this drawing is on the Arizona Strip, facing south, being exposed to all the elements of the weather constantly. I expect someday it will completely disappear.
Above, again on the Strip, a Big Horn Sheep in the same drawing as a deer. This photo also shows what may be a crude cross, near the top, to the right.
The above picture shows the Big Horn Sheep, but also a Desert Tortoise, to the right. Both are now protected species. Below, This is what the Pahranagat Wild Life Refuse Rangers call the "Pahranagat Man". The Paiute Indians called him the "Water Baby", to them he was kind of a demon character. Legend says he would lure people, especially children, into the water of the nearby lake and drown them.
Above, Another of the "Pahranagat Man". The Park Rangers I spoke with told me there are near 100 depictions of this character in the surrounding area, we found only three on our one day trip there. This particular depiction is different in that the artist used natural defects in the rock as part of his creation. Notice the eyes and mouth are natural holes and a crack in the stone, the face was etched around those marks.
Below, The Pahranagat Man again, this one nearly escaped us, it is very high up
on the side of a hill, we nearly walked right past before we saw it.
The word Pahranagat is a Paiute word and translates roughly to, :Shining
Waters". The following two pictures show the Wild Life Refuge Lake, Pahranagat. We had winds on the day we were there, on a still afternoon, that water would shine like a mirror.
Pahranagat Lake, a natural lake that has been enhanced by a dam to enlarge it. The shore is lined with small camp-sites, Motorized water craft are not allowed but Kayaks and canoes are fine as well as inflatable craft. The lake is located on highway 93, five miles south of Alamo Nevada.
Below is a depiction of what the local Indians called, "Blanket Man". Like the Pahranagat Man he was another figure effecting the children, except he was their comforter, providing warmth and protection.
Below, using you're imagination you can see the torso of the "Blanket Man", his neck and head above.
Below, I've seen many hand prints depicted, but this is the first I've seen with the arm attached.
Above, Another first for me, this is the first depiction of horses I've ever seen. The one even seems the person who etched it also tried to draw out a rider. Since the first horses were brought here by Spanish explorers, in 1540, this depiction somewhat dates the time when it was put here.
Below, This depiction I saw near St. George Ut. I thought at the time it was one of those random etchings that meant nothing, but as I looked at it the resemblance to a trident became obvious. Then my thought was, how would desert Indians in Utah, ever see a Trident?
Below, Another depiction of a Trident, this one near Alamo Nevada. Only the persons who etched these could know for sure what they are, or what they represent, but they are very similar to the Trident, and to each other.
This rock above, on the Arizona Strip, is a perfect example of how vandalism can, and has,
occurred over the years. The name ZENO, carved into this rock was
probably done by Spanish explorers as they passed through this region in
the 16'th Century.
On that same rock is this, I have no idea what this might be. Not saying I believe or disbelieve, but one theory I've heard on this rock was as follows. This is the depiction of a U.F.O. as seen from the desert floor, looking up as it approaches. The dancers to the left indicate great ceremony when it arrived and the figure to the right is the pilot of the craft. His name was, of course, ZENO. You see what I see, you decide for yourself what it shows.
The next few photos were taken in the Valley of Fire State Park, near Las Vegas. These etchings are very high up on the rock, the staircase is necessary to be able to view them.
The next few photos were taken at the Valley of Fire, Nevada State Park. They have placed a plexiglass shield in front of these Petroglyphs to protect them from vandals. Unfortunately, the plexiglass does protect but filters the picture through it, resulting in very poor quality photos. The results of vandalism can be clearly seen in the above picture.
In the photo below, notice the individual holding a rifle overhead, escorting two captive stick figure type people, Indians, apparently crossing a stream or river. I can't help think this is a depiction of the Spanish Conquest of the Southwest.
To the right in the above photo you see what appears to be a ladder. This set of Petroglyphs are located so high up on the rock, a staircase had to be built to allow them to be seen by the public. I'm sure the Indian artist etched the ladder to explain how he was able to leave this art so high up.
Another figure holding a rifle overhead. The Indians always depicted themselves as stick people, this is probably a Spanish Soldier.
Joshua Trees, along the river or stream. Below is a figure that I first thought was a high ranking Tribal member, maybe a Medicine Man or Shape-Shifter. However, although the head-dress doesn't look like a helmet of any kind, this individual is shown with a sword at his side, it might be a depiction of a Spanish Soldier.
Above I have no idea what or who this might have been, certainly not the
average Indian. May have been a high ranking Tribal leader or might
have been Spanish, although no evidence of carrying a weapon.
Below is an interesting etching, I've always thought they drew what they saw. In this case I think someone saw a friend or relative fall from a high place, and this was kind of a memorial to that person.
Below is what I think might be a depiction of dancers, dressed in ceremonial head-dress and all.
Wheels show up in the Petroglyphs, even though the Indians had no wheels, and wheels do not exist in nature. I've always thought they simply drew what they saw, if true, they must have seen the wheel-like objects.
Crosses are another thing that shows up often in the Petroglyphs, very wide-spread. Many groups of drawings, all over the region will have crosses depicted. Below is what I believe to be a depiction of a cross, below the photo of the Petroglyph cross, there is a picture of the type of cross medallions carried by the Spanish explorers of the mid 1500's.
The above photo is a Pictograph of a cross, very rare to find a Pictograph out in the open exposure. Since they are painted onto rock, rather than etched into the rock, they are usually found in protected areas like a cave wall. This one is faded but still visible.
The above photo shows one of the best crosses I've located. very simple but very distinguishable as a cross.
In the photo above you see they paid attention to the night sky. The
"Night Sky", of that time must have been much different than today, with
no near-by city lights, they would have seen it much clearer then. The
appearance of a comet would probably have been a once in a lifetime
experience for most, certainly something they would want to record in stone.
All across the region walls of very well preserved Petroglyphs such as these can be found. Every Spring and Summer I visit as much of the back country as I can. I will be adding more photos to this post as I collect them, keep watching the site.
