Valley of Fire 10 ---Petroglyphs


There are many places to see prehistoric Indian rock art (petroglyphs) inside the park but we chose this trail because it's an easy trail (a friend needs an easy trail) and the entire trail is 1/2 mile round trip, plus this is where we can easily find petroglyphs.
Possible translations. I didn't really bother to read this marker, thankfully, hubby took a snap and here it is on my blog.

On our way to Mouse's Tank (the last photo), which is the end of this trail, we were distracted by the splendid rock formations and the red sand/earth to notice that along the way we would be able to see rock art. I was too busy snapping photos left and right that I did not see the petroglyphs.



It was only when we reached Mouse's tank that we bothered to ask someone where exactly we could see the rock art. He said they were scattered throughout the trail. He said to look carefully on the rocks. So on the walk back, we were on the look out solely for petroglyphs and we found them.


"The prehistoric users of Valley of Fire included the Basket Maker people and later the Anasazi pueblo farmers from nearby fertile Moapa valley. The span of approximate occupation has been dated from 300 B.C. to 1150 A.D. Their visits probably involved hunting, food gathering, and religious ceremonies, although scarcity of water would have limited the length of their stay. Fine examples of rock art left by these ancient peoples can be found at several sites within the park." (source)

The petroglyph canyon trail ends at Mouse's tank. This is Mouse's tank. It was named for a renegade Indian who used the area as a hideout in the 1890's. Mouse's Tank is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after rainfalls, sometimes remaining for months. It was raining when we got there so there was water in the tank.





Comments

  1. the last photograph is a beauty! =D

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  2. nice - love mouse's tank!

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  3. You have a good series with the red earth ancient recorded!

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  4. It really is quite amazing, Maria. It looks like I'll need to go back West again...to see more! I would be eating this all up!! :)

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  5. Very interesting. I love the art pieces showing the group holding hands...cool. Your photos are so crisp and clear...enjoy the day!

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  6. Fantastic images of a location I'd so love to visit. The quality and colours, the composition and details are all superb. Many thanks for sharing such wonderful images with us

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  7. Looks like dad and mom are fuming mad on their two children... ;-)

    Amazing rock art...alas I can't really read the English translation!

    ,|||--\\ = means very interesting ! ;-)

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  8. These images are amazing Maria. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. muddy water but really nice. you must had real fun that day, it's like being brought back to ancient times.

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  10. A fine series of interesting photos. The petroglyphs are very interesting. One would wonder at the time needed to create these images in such a severe land with limited water. Nice series.

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  11. your photos are wonderful! all are! i have been here at the valley fo fire, but not for long, so we have not explored the park well enough, but the stone formations are really great and impressive. thanks for sharing.

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  12. Wow! These are amazing. Particularly LOVED the last pic.

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  13. I love those carvings! Can you interpret them?

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  14. The petroglyphs are interesting, I would have photographed it as well like what your hubby did. Thanks to both of you, or we wouldn't have seen these.

    BTW,about your question in my post, it is called in English the "Little Boy Piss", it's a landmark of Brussels, a small bronze of fountain sculpture depicting a little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. The fries maker's brand is Manneken Pis. If you go to Belgium, you'll have to see this sculpture of the Little Boy Piss", a lot of stories go with it.

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  15. Those carvings are very mysterious. They may also be a mark of communication for the ancient people. Beautiful photos and very educational too.

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  16. The photos got me thinking. Very interesting. Mysterious actually. Expect me to stare on these photos again. =)

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  17. We take a lot of photos of our Utah petroglyphs, so it's quite interesting to see yours from CA.

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  18. Fabulous post, and lovely pictures. Reminded me of Petra and Bhimbetka.

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  19. this shows that even during the ancient time, they already appreciate this place.

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  20. Very interesting - great photos and info

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