The petroglyphs at Steam Wells are well worth a visit. You’ll have to drive in on a dirt road that turns rough and sandy, and then hike about 3/4 of a mile up a wash to see them. Don’t try driving to this site in a 2WD vehicle or a passenger vehicle! Parts of the road are very rough, across sharp bedrock, or very sandy, and you will get stuck for sure. You’ll need 4WD, or else the ability to hike in from the nearest paved road – a journey of many miles.
This site is in the desert portion of Kawaiisu territory and is mostly made up of abstract Rectilinear petroglyphs, although there are also some Representational bighorn sheep and shaman figures.
The petroglyphs at Steam Wells are likely shamanistic in origin. In addition to two renditions of a shaman in full ceremonial dress there are multiple designs that are commonly interpreted as entoptic, including a carving that has been interpreted as a conflation of a rattlesnake and a bighorn sheep.
The designs are clustered on a rock outcropping, with some isolated elements scattered on the smaller boulders further downhill. There are also a small number of elements on another outcropping across the wash that runs through the site.
The first petroglyph I found at Steam Wells, on a small boulder some distance below the main site. The design seems simple at first glance but thought has gone into it: the design is symmetrical and consists of three parallel lines with two half circles facing left and right on the outer lines.
Several stones below the main site look like this. It appears as if the surface was used as a grinding area but the stones are also underneath vegetation, raising the possibility that the blowing wind could have moved branches across the stone, scraping off the desert varnish over the years. Maybe not all rock art is made by human hands.
There is a lot going on on this boulder that sits a little below the main site. First, regrettably, there is vandalism present, in the form of crudely scratched initials and lines, but this does help us contrast the age of the petroglyphs with the historic graffiti. Note that the petroglyphs are darker than the initials. The most interesting feature of this rock is the figure at the top. At first glance it looks like a millipede crawling from the rock, but it is likely a depiction of a shaman wearing a headdress. The figure is placed very deliberately on the rock, emerging from a thin crack. Shamans believed that the spirit world lied on the other side of rocks and was accessible through cracks or caves. Therefore, this petroglyph might depict a shaman returning to our world from his vision quest.
The first prominent panel of petroglyphs at the site. Unfortunately it has suffered a lot of damage. A description of the panel follows in the text below.
Many of the petroglyphs at Steam Wells are concentrated on a few panels. One of these face the arroyo one walks up to reach the site and is the panel most commonly photographed by casual visitors who do not poke around in the outcropping for more.
Unfortunately, this panel’s prominence also means it caught the attention of a knucklehead. While some damage, such as the flaked away rock on the left, is natural, the gunshot damage in the center of the panel is man-made.
There is a lot going on in this panel. You may want to click or right-click it to open a larger version so you can follow along with the description.
Some of the petroglyphs are more revarnished than others, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were made at different times. As we see when we examine pictograph panels where some of the elements are crisp and others all but washed away, the shape of a rock has bearing on how it weathers. Desert varnish is thought to be caused by rain so it makes sense that areas of a rock that is sheltered may varnish at a different rate than exposed areas.
There are two bighorn sheep depicted in the panel. One is in the center of the photograph, very crudely drawn, and the other is in the center right of the picture, on an angled rock face. This sheep is better drawn and, as with most sheep in this style, is shown to be running.
There are a lot of abstract elements in this panel too, including one of the ubiquitous quartered circles in the center of the photo. Some of the elements, like the design above the rightmost sheep and the one at the top left of the panel, look like depictions of bear paw prints.
Finally, note that there is a petroglyph pecked on a part of the rock face ( the dark grey in the left center of the picture ) had flaked away at some point. Petroglyphs are often made on varnished rocks, but in this case the petroglyph was made on a relatively hostile environment. Maybe the artist felt it important that that element be depicted there, even though the rock face was not well-suited to it. Or maybe that portion of the rock sloughed off as the panel was being worked on, forcing the artist to use the less suitable rock beneath rather than abandon the panel entirely.
This panel is a little to the right of the main panel we just saw. The figures are mostly abstract but the one at the upper left looks like a simplified representation of the shaman figure we saw earlier. This panel was probably damaged naturally over the years – parts of it have flaked away.
These pictures were taken as I traversed the outcropping in an anti-clockwise direction. In the foreground is a design that archeologists have interpreted as a rattlesnake-bighorn conflation: the two squiggle lines running bottom-left to top-right along the rock forms the snake body, and the two lines curving right to left from the top of these lines are the horns of the sheep. Higher up more petroglyphs are visible. We’ll look at them in detail soon.
Abstract designs, including a spoked wheel/tortoiseshell design and some solid circles connected by lines.
A closer look at the designs from earlier. There is a spoked wheel design at the lower left. This design is commonly found in pictographs in particular. The Serrano, who lived south-east of here, painted these spoked designs at their pictograph sites. Examples of Serrano sites with this design includes the Born Again site. The neighboring Tubatulabal, whose territory is north-west of here, also incorporated the design, for example, at the Cornerstone site. The “dumbbell” element in the center of the picture is another common design.
Judged by their darkened appearance these are probably some of the older elements at the site. A lot of the more revarnished panels share the design of circles linked with a line – this suggest that they really may be older than the others, made at a time when the site and the petroglyphs made at it meant something specific. Note that there seem to be another bighorn sheep in this panel ( upper center ), though it is hard to say for sure because the design is indistinct.
The thick jumble of boulders to the left of the main panel hides many petroglyphs. Here are some more solid circles and abstract lines. In the background is a simple Linear design. Look closely at the designs in the foreground, though. Later I will show this panel from a different angle – one of the petroglyphs is quite surprising!
One of the petroglyph panels on the back of the outcropping. Remember that this site is in Kawaiisu territory. The Kawaiisu share boundaries with the Yokuts and the Chumash. The element in the center of the panel looks like the depictions of lizards and other animals that can be seen in the pictographs of the Kawaiisu or the Chumash further to the southwest.
Some of the petroglyphs are carved on seemingly nondescript boulders.
This panel at the very top of the outcropping depicts some Great Basin stalwarts like the rake element and concentric circle element, as well as Rectilinear grids and Curvilinear elements. The rock in the background, top left, has an atlatl-like symbol on it.
This boulder also has some Curvilinear designs as well as some Rectilinear “ladder” type designs.
Remember the image I said hid a surprise? Let’s look at it from a different angle. The image in the center of the picture is a rare example of a petroglyph design that makes use of negative space. Typically, petroglyphs are carved into the desert varnish in such a way that the exposed surface – the highlights – form the picture, but in this case the figure in the center clearly makes use of negative space to depict a snake. The boxy shape might be the body of a shaman wearing a ceremonial outfit – maybe a shaman who had a snake familiar. Regardless of its meaning, this is an unusual petroglyph.
A small grouping of elements on the corner of a boulder.
This is probably one of the older panels at the site, judging by the amount of varnish. It is also one of the most tucked away panels so it might simply have darkened quicker than the others due to the microclimate in its niche. It seems to make sense that this panel would be contemporary with the others – why would a tucked away rock face be utilized before other, more prominent rock surfaces? – but we don’t know the intent behind these petroglyphs. Our judgement of a more suitable spot may not match the judgement of the original creators. Perhaps these really are old designs and they were placed in a hidden spot on purpose.
Some simple Curvilinear designs.
A concentric circle design, delicately pecked.
This design reminds me of a dragonfly.
A burst-like design. This design and its companion in the next photo are on a boulder that is otherwise vandalized with modern graffiti.
A spoked wheel design with connected circles. The technique used to make these petroglyphs deployed a hammerstone and a fine chisel, and the images are made up of many small pecks.
Another concentric circle design and Curvilinear designs.
And finally: another bighorn sheep, depicted in the Cosos style with a boat-shaped body and short legs. This sheep is captured in motion but it is quite crudely drawn compared to the many fine samples that abound further north of here.
We visited in the late afternoon on one of those winter days where the sky is overcast with a thin milky film, draining the color out of everything.
As our exploration of the site wound down the sun dipped below the milky film and bathed the landscape in rich golden light. Being out in the desert in the quiet, golden glow was very peaceful. I will always be a child of the desert. Much as the soaring granite and quiet, towering pine trees of the mountains whisper to me or the patient, eternal roar of the ocean reminds me that we all came to life in the briny deeps, it is the stillness of the desert – every rock a piece of art, every plant a deliberate survivor in the harsh climate – that heals the fractures in my thoughts made by the disjointed busyness of modern civilization.
Part of my affinity for the desert comes from childhood memories of crossing the venerable desert interior of my home country by car – a journey of nearly a thousand miles to spend the summer vacation captivated between the ocean and the towering sandstone mountains in the region my family hails from. I would stare out the window and imagine myself exploring the desert, learning its secrets.
The desert in the late afternoon.
Whenever I go exploring I really enjoy the solitude and the lack of modern touches on the landscape. Should I want the markings of modern man I know where to go: we have many cities that we built as evidence of our mastery of technology.
If you visit these petroglyphs take all the photos you wish and leave all the footprints you need to, but do not disturb the site otherwise. There are many who would like to visit after you are gone and have the same experience you did.
Leave technology and modern life behind when you venture into the desert, whenever you can. Here you can be still and be reminded of the life we came from: simple, in tune with nature, filled with natural beauty.
I enjoyed your write up. Thanks for your thoroughness and taking me along.
You’re welcome! I enjoy visiting places through other people’s blogs, so I try to do my small part to return the general favor.