Since there were so many petroglyphs at this one site, I just couldn't resist sharing a few more with you before continuing on to the ruins.
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This one is so very old and worn but you can still see the faded shape of a figure. Notice the fine gravel and layers of sand in this sedimentary rock..
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Although not the most pronounced and best preserved, I think my favorite is this turkey which was etched in good proportion and great detail right down to his feathers. It is hard to say if he succumbed to an ice pick in the butt or if that symbol had been there earlier or added later..
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Brou intently analyzing the Spanish horsemen of the big panel..
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Cousin Colin intently analyzing another cache of carvings..
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Colin caught up and asked if I had seen that odd 'statue' back around the corner. "You mean the one that looks like a frog in a tri-corn hat and uniform from the 18th century?" "Yes! That one indeed!" and then we laughed about how two eccentric minds can think so alike..
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Now, before you go getting all fluttery about the deeply mystical and superior spiritual nature of these ancient inhabitants, let me bring you back down to earth a notch or two as did my very, uhm, unusual and unexpected guide at Mesa Verde. He had overheard an official park guide expounding in rapt New Age speak about the inhabitants and the great spiritual significance of their every structure. He continued on with a hint of disdain that the people were not that dissimilar from us, living largely in unremarkable and mundane ways for the most part. I have no reason to doubt him, especially given his curious nature. An example of the mundane is shown below.
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We came across this inviting niche in the rocks and I crawled inside. Quite the cozy and intimate setting really. It wasn't until I exited that I noticed this faint carving which I have blown up for you in the upper right hand corner. This was obviously some young man's little den of seduction and he indiscreetly carved a tribute to his conquest later. This might even be one of the earliest examples of a fellow asking a young lady in to see his etchings. The archaeologist we met 'up top' confirmed this notion, stating that they had found some doozies in the way of prehistoric 'guy' art. Caves or bathroom walls ... boys have always been boys and will likely remain that way for as long as the human race survives. Ya gotta love 'em!.
It's good to be back for a bit so comment away if you feel like it!
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21 comments:
There are viking carvings of a horse and a sun goddess on the hill behind my house.There is something about rock carvings...you can easily place yourself in the time frame of the carver as usually the area does not change so much over the years.
It's been a while since I stopped in here. These are fantasitic! Thank you for sharing!
One day... I would very much like to see these in peson.
thud, you have one COOL backyard! Have you posted those images yet? Isn't it awesome to have traces of the far past within a short trot? And I found the same thing; we were almost sharing the same time frame as the ancient carvers. I don't know that I could ever leave this place now and lose that seamless overlap of past, present and future.
You are VERY welcomed, Carteach. I love sharing the finds in these amazing canyonlands with the world beyond.
And you already know that you are always welcomed to wander back in time with us!
i am not interested in the rocks, i am interested in cousin colin...exactly in england is he from????what does he think about the non green things???is he or you related to barlows, hibberts, allens, daltons, ashworths, is he a student???
Putz, I thought you would be interested in the genealogical aspect. None of those family names are connected but I have a neighbor who is possibly related to your Barlows. Colin lives in Essex but our family was centered in Lincolnshire for the last 500 years and beyond records. Everybody moves around so much these days, you now. I found him not through 30 years of genealogy research but by the internet and the strangest of coincidences. I might just expand on that in a future post because it might help others find living relatives.
BTW, he LOVED the area with its blatant, stunning geological record open to easy reading. Like me, he is an ongoing student of the life around us.
The archaeologist we met 'up top' confirmed this notion, stating that they had found some doozies in the way of prehistoric 'guy' art.
Paleo-Pr0n! I sense some sort of new field of academic endeavo(u)r in the making here. But not really. I'm aware of pre-historic European and (most certainly) Indian examples of same. I justdon't know the proper academic term.
Good to see ya back, Lin. The lack of commenting availability was disconcerting! ;-)
Buck - Paleo-Pron ... I LOVE it! Perhaps we need to champion a movement in academia. There's gotta be a nice Department Chair in this for someone and I think it would have GREAT popular appeal (which is really the priority).
Yep, it's great to be back and fielding comments again.
Love the history of those cave drawings.....too bad they didn't have exact dates the would say something like..........
"Kilroy was here 8-8-2108 BC"
:)>
Pat, I find that frustrating, too. And most of the Europoean inscriptions use only two digits for the year - such as '09. 1609, 1909? That STILL doesn't help!
You have been busy... oh and yeah I reckon that ice pick would definitely of had that turkeys number. I quite like that idea of a shag cave.
Very much enjoying the petroglyphs. Am impressed with the details on some of the drawings. These may have been very basic people; but they certainly possessed talent. Are these petroglyphs on top of the mesa or in the canyon below? Hope you had a good trip to Albuquerque. Also Sally's gourd vase is beautiful!!
Judy and Sue
Alex, I haven't read any mention of ice picks in the rules on turkey hunting but I am tempted to try it as a retro anthro sort of thing this Fall. There must be an extension brochure somewhere on 'picking' the right bird for Thanksgiving.
I think that if you apply for a camping permit, it might include a nice cave opp for you but it's probably handier to just build your own in the back yard (closer to the fridge and the loo).
S&J, I am taken with their talent as well. Some were far better than others but I guess that's always the way with expression. The petroglyphs are most often found along the very bottom of the canyon walls and after scaling up to some of the higher faces myself, I can see why.
Mark went to ABQ instead and they had a great time visiting and touring with Red and Sally. He should be home today!
And everybody thinks Hugh "Playboy" Hefner invented "sex in print"!
(On the OTHER hand, as old and gnarly as he looks, he MIGHT have been one of the "chiselers" on those rocks...!)
Gah-snort! Bruno, yeah, given his looks these days, maybe 80 is the new prehistoric.
I believe Brou is smarter that all of us!
Love the naked lady...the game hasn't changed!
I understand your decision to go on "vacation mode". I love these posts, and as you've suspected, they made me "homesick" for dear ole NM. I may "trip" to Las Cruces in Sept to celebrate my 58th. I'm doing lots of savings, but need to reconnect with my NM family. It will have been 3 yrs. if I go in Sept08---too long!!! Take Care & hope your bridegroom stays well too!! Belle
Belle - where have you been?! Before I fell asleep last night, I decided that I should e-mail Jeff and ask him if he had seen you around town and if you were okay. Thank you for checking in!!!
Wow, you are going to have a great reunion after three long years - no wonder you are looking forward to the trip back!
This is the first day that Mark actually went outside since last Thursday. Never saw him that sick ever before!
Loved all those Posts, from the calf to this. Love the art. Would LOVE to wander around there and see it for myself. The few carvings we saw in the Grand Canyon look pale compared to what's in your back yard. Cool as hell.
Oh, and nice rack on that last one. Woof!
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