America's first artists left paintings and carvings on rock surfaces, perhaps as early as 10,000 years ago. These prehistoric images, known as rock art, have been found in 41 of the 50 states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

The painted images are called pictographs. Pecked or scratched images are called petroglyphs. These images present a verbal vocabulary perhaps thousands of years old. So far much of the vocabulary is undeciphered, but experts are learning to read many of the images.

Some of the rock art images are maps showing routes to hunting areas, garthering areas, water sources or just the best way to cross the mountains. Many of the panels are calendars, these are designed to work with light and shadows on certain dates, such as solstice, equinox or cross quarter days. These calendars may have marked the days for ceremonies; or simply let people know which days were best for planting corn and beans. Other panels tell stories.

The hardest to understand are the religous or ceremonial panels. These are often shamanistic and contain "ghost" or "spirit figures". The large Barrier Canyon figures, found in southeast Utah , are perhaps the best known of these. The long streaks on the sandstone cliffs may have been the inspiration for the tall painted "spirit figures." Perhaps they are the visual representation of the spirits of the mountains, rivers, the Mother Earth, Father Sun or great departed leaders. The spirit world exists somewhere between the earth and sky and is responsible for the weather and keeping natural things working. Many of the ceremonies were performed to keep the spirits happy and to keep a balance or harmony among living things.

The spirit or soul was thought to enter the body through the finger tips and exit through the toes. This was thought to explain the whorls that make up our finger prints.

Visiting spirits may be represented by smaller images next to a larger figure. These may portray a vision or dream the shaman wishes to relate to the members of his clan or tribe. Some dreams are drawn inside a circle, near a larger figure's head

Some glyphs seem to represent guardian spirits. Tribes of the plains and the Colorado plateau often encouraged young people to go on a vision quest to seek their guardian. Young people, both men and women, would walk away from the village and stay alone without food for several days. When a guardian revealed itself, either in real life or a vision, the young person would choose this animal, plant or object for a guardian. In return the spirit of the bear, snake or whatever was selected would then protect the person for the rest of his/her life. Often a fetish was carved, or parts or an animal such as a bone, claw, skin, fur, rattle from a snake, or pollen would then be carried in a medicine pouch.

If a family or village chose an animal or plant for a guardian this would become it's clan sign. Many glyphs are probably clan signs identifing the clan's hunting areas, planting areas or ceremonial sites. Other important possessions such as pinon trees or eagle nests may also be identified with clan markers. The spirit of this guardian would protect the members of the clan, as long as there was harmony and balance.

WHEN YOU VISIT ROCK ART SITES REMEMBER SITE ETIQUETTE:

Rock is very easily damaged. Look but don't touch. Oil from your hands can damage the rock art. Don't add anything, chalk, paint etc. Doing rubbings can also cause damage to these delicate images. Not only do we need to protect the rock art, but the area around it as well. A good rule to follow is "LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS, AND TAKE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHS."

References

Bush, B. Jane. If Rocks Could Talk, Dale Seymour Publishers, Palo Alto Ca. 1993.

Cole, Sally. Legacy on Stone: Rock Art of the Colorado Plateau and Four Corners Region. Johnson Books, Boulder CO, 1990

Hurst, Winston and Pachak, Joe. Spirit Windows, Native American Rock Art of Southeastern Utah. Spirit Windows Project, Blanding UT, 1989.

Martineau, LaVan. The Rocks Begin to Speak. K.C. Publications. Las Vegas (Third edtion) 1987.

Schaafsma, Polly. Indian Rock Art of the Southwest. University of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe. 1989

Waters, Frank. Book of the Hopi. Viking Press, New York, 1963

Young, M. Jane. Signs from the Ancestors, Zuni Cultural Symbolism and Perception of Rock Art. University of New Mexico Press. Alberquerque, 1988.