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Featured image for Chidago Canyon.

Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs

This famous site is one of the better known and oldest sites in the Volcanic Tablelands area. These petroglyphs are believed to date back at least 3,500 years, and some of them could date back around 8,000 years, when the area was first settled.

Today it is partially fenced to deter vandals, and this is unfortunately needed, given the vandalism the site has suffered over the years: shotgun damage as well as graffiti.

Fortunately, most of the petroglyphs survive intact and the site is still well worth a visit. Continue reading

Featured photo for Beautiful Rain.

“Beautiful Rain” Pictographs

The presence of rake-like elements in pictographs is said to refer to rain.  Another interesting observation is that the rake-like pattern was one of the more frequently described images from a study of the effects of hallucinogenic substances on the mind.

The pictograph boulder has three overhangs, to the north, southeast, and southwest. The northern overhang is to the left in this picture.

The pictograph boulder has three overhangs, to the north, southeast, and southwest. The northern overhang is to the left in this picture.

With that in mind, let’s examine these pictographs. Continue reading

Tale of Years Pictographs Featured Image

“Tale of Years” Pictographs

The large, slanted boulder in front of the pictograph shelter, showing one of the mortar holes on the shelf.

The large, slanted boulder in front of the pictograph shelter, showing one of the mortar holes on the shelf.

This site sits on the southern bank of a small ephemeral drainage that leads into the creek running below the “Shooting Star” pictograph site, and forms part of the same Tübatulabal summer settlement.

A large, sloped boulder leans towards the south, and on a natural shelf at workable height, several fairly shallow mortar holes are present.

Mortar holes are often a hint that interesting discoveries may be just around the corner. They do not disappoint in this case: turning westerly after examining these mortars to take a look at the sloped overhang of a larger boulder reveals a wonderful pictograph panel tucked away under the sloped surface. Continue reading

Faded Sentinels Featured Image.

“Faded Sentinels” Pictographs

This site is located in Tübatulabal territory, on the western slope of one of a network of contributing ephemeral drainages draining southerly into a more permanent creek. What makes this site attractive as a habitation site is the presence of a small spring, leading to some lush vegetation in the drainage. Continue reading

Hot Cross Buns Preview Picture

“Hot Cross Buns” Pictographs

These pictographs can be found in a remote valley, accessible only by either scrambling up a boulder-and-vegetation-choked gully and then dropping down into the one end of the valley, or by approaching the valley from its other end and scrambling up dry waterfalls.

Read more about the site here as well, where I show some new pictographs we found on a return visit.

Continue reading

Shooting Star Pictographs Featured Image

“Shooting Star” Pictographs

This pictograph site is perched on the eastern bank of a seasonal creek that runs southerly out of a stubby little valley. It is surrounded on three sides by steep peaks, and the site itself is nestled on the knee of the steep hillside above the creek bed. The boulder these pictographs are located on is larger than any others in the immediate vicinity. Continue reading