Petroglyph National Monument protects a variety of cultural and
natural resources including volcanoes, archeological sites and an
estimated 20,000 carved images. Many of the images are recognizable
as animals, people, brands and crosses; others are more complex.
These images are inseparable from the cultural landscape, the
spirits of the people who created, and who appreciate them.
Five dormant volcanic cones and a seventeen-mile basalt
escarpment show how a series of eruptions over 100,000 years ago
formed the West Mesa. Magma rose along a fissure (a crack in the
earth's surface) and flowed eastward across the surface of the
land, covering what is now called the Santa Fe Formation, a very
thick accumulation of sand and gravel. The lava cooled and formed a
thick sheet of basalt rock. With nothing to protect the formation
east of the lava flow, the sand and gravel eroded out from
underneath the sheet of basalt. The sheet broke and collapsed over
the side, forming the West Mesa escarpment which stretches 17
miles. The basalt boulders that tumbled down to the escarpment's
edge later provided an ideal material for carving Puebloan and
Spanish petroglyphs.
Petroglyphs are rock carvings made by pecking directly on the
rock surface using a stone chisel and a hammerstone. When the
"desert varnish" on the surface of the rock was pecked off, the
lighter rock underneath was exposed, creating the petroglyph.
Archaeologists have estimated there may be over 25,000 petroglyphs
within the monument boundary, and it is estimated 90% of the
monument's petroglyphs were created by the ancestors of today's
Pueblo Indians. Puebloans have lived in the Rio Grande Valley since
before 500 A.D., but a population increase around 1300 A.D.
resulted in many new settlements. It is believed that the majority
of the petroglyphs were carved from about 1300 through the late
1680s. A small percentage of the petroglyphs found within the park
pre-date the Puebloan time period, perhaps reaching as far back as
B.C. 2000. Other petroglyphs carved by early Spanish settlers date
from historic periods starting in the 1700s.
There were many reasons for creating the Petroglyphs, most of
which are not well understood by non-Indians. Petroglyphs are
powerful cultural symbols that reflect the complex societies and
religions of the surrounding tribes. Petroglyphs are central to the
monument's sacred landscape where traditional ceremonies still take
place. The context of each image is extremely important and
integral to its meaning. Some petroglyphs have meanings that are
only known to the individuals who made them. Others represent
tribal, clan, kiva or society markers. Some are religious entities
and others show who came to the area and where they went.
The background information above is from the National Park
Service. The visitor center is open all year from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Closed on: New Years, Thanksgiving, and Christmas days. The
visitor center typically closes at 2:00pm the day before
Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve. The rangers can tell you about
the different hiking trails that are available and how accessible
each of them are. As with any hiking in the desert southwest, carry
plenty of water and drink often. Wear a hat, sunscreen and sturdy
walking shoes or boots. Watch out for the snakes which inhabit the
canyon.
Petroglyphs are fragile, non-renewable cultural resources that,
once damaged, can never be replaced. Some rules to follow: Avoid
touching the petroglyphs! Even a small amount of the oils from our
hands can erode petroglyphs and destroy the patina (color) of the
carved or pecked image. Stay on the trails. It takes decades for
this fragile landscape to recover from even incidental damage.
Photography and sketching is allowed. Commercial photography does
require a permit. Where dogs are allowed, keep them on a leash and
clean up after them. Animals may damage archeological sites
(including petroglyph sites) by digging, urinating and defecating
on them. And finally, remember - cache in, trash out!
For more information about Petroglyph National Monument and the
many programs, lectures and workshops that take place there, visit
their website http://www.nps.org/petr .
To log this cache, you must answer the following questions:
1) Describe the color and texture of the rock on which these
glyphs are carved
2) Post a picture of you and your GPS in front of one of the
canyon’s petroglyphs.
PLEASE send the answers to me at the same time that you log the
cache! Otherwise I may not catch both and accidentally delete the
found log thinking I never received your answers. Thank you!