This element, the southernmost along the sandstone bluff forming the canvas for this site, sits about 500 feet from the impressive central panel of this site. This element may be modern, showing a somewhat different style from the others.

This section of cliff face exhibits multiple geometric designs, including tightly spaced grid patterns, groups of parallel lines, a jagged abstract grid, and a sunburst ‘eye’. There are some fainter elements in the lower sections. Two Curvilinear shield designs are barely visible on an angled rock face in the center of the picture, and two faint, armless anthropomorphs look down from the top right.

High up on the cliff face there are three anthropomorphic figures. The leftmost has well-defined legs but no arms, the middle one shows a thicker body and possibly a faint arm, and the final one exhibits an apparent phallus as well as a possible basket being carried on its back. Also in this picture is a faint anthropomorph in the upper left corner, and a faint, possibly modern, grid pattern in the lower right.

A closer look at the arrangement of three anthropomorphs. The figure on the right may be carrying a child in a carrying basket on its back, or possibly be carrying gathered food supplies. The figure has an apparent phallus between its legs, which would make both hypotheses somewhat unlikely.

A closer look at the rudimentary anthropomorphs. To their right are three more fully developed figures, shown below.

Further along the cliff face, a geometric design on a southerly facing rock surface is partially hidden from the ensemble on the eastern facing surface. This second grouping shows some of the ubiquitous shield symbols, as well as a hand and some smaller elements. The pecked surface to the right will be detailed in the next picture. The pecked surface to the right will be detailed in the next picture.

This close-up shows the carefully pecked concentric design and the circular element to its left. The crude scrapings in lower right are likely modern vandalism and shows a lack of varnish and sophistication.

On the left-hand side of this picture there is a Curvilinear shield symbol, exhibiting the “volleyball” pattern than can also be seen elsewhere in the region. To its right is a carefully pected spiral design. Both of these designs are lightly revarnished, contrasting it with the lightly colored symbols below that may well be historic graffiti.
The sharply angular cliff faces to the north of these designs have gone unused.

Some of the elements are extremely weathered. Here are the remnants of a herringbone type pattern below a lattice of circular designs.

Another weathered panel appears to have several linear designs on it, as well as some curvilinear shield designs.

Further north along the cliff face the designs are a little better preserved. The top of the cliff is etched with wavy lines, a grid of pecked holes, and on the left, a circle with a grid-like element at its center.

Most of the petroglyphs at this site are on the cliff wall. This boulder has some designs as well, including parallel wavy lines in the lower left and a burst type symbol upper center. Unfortunately, a vandal also felt the need to deface the spoked circle design by shooting at it with a gun and scratching a date below it.

Now the cliff face designs are becoming clearer and more interesting. Here there is a hand symbol placed among circular shield symbols and other curvilinear designs. The darker cliff face to the right has an intricately pecked spiral as well as some other designs.

Here is a section of cliff where nearly every available flat surface has been used. There are faint markings high to the right, and then center-right there is a busy panel with wavy lines, a circle, and a possible lizard zoomorph on the left side. ( There are also petroglyphs on the face at a right-angle to this one. ) Center-left there is a pecked circle design and some parallel wavy lines. The most striking panel is at the far left, packed with jagged lines, wavy lines, abstract elements and a circle design that almost appears to be a mask.

The circular design bears close resemblance to some other designs further north along the cliff face. It is outlined with a series of well-spaced pecks. Densely packed Curvilinear lines and a variety of other symbols fill out the rock face.

This panel has an interesting little detail – the circular petrogyph has pigment rubbed into its perimeter. Some pecked dots around the top was also filled with pigment.

Now the cliff face designs are becoming clearer and more interesting. A hand symbol can be seen among various circular shield symbols and other curvilinear designs. The darker cliff face to the right of these bear some intricately pecked designs of a spiral and other symbols.

Three anthropomorphs feature prominently in the middle of this picture. Two smaller figures can be seen up higher and to the left. The crude designs in the lower left of the picture is likely modern vandalism.

The next panel south has been defaced by vandals, but an intricate clamshell design of parallel lines survive up high, and some shield designs are still intact below. The leftmost designs are likely modern vandalism.

Moving north from the starting point, the cliff face once again shows only eroded images. A grid design survives in the upper let as well as the right center, and some linear designs hang on in the upper right.

The large circular designs at this site are remarkably close to being true circles. This symbol is in excess of three feet across, and shows deeply carved lines, a lower rim carefully notched with well-spaced lines, triangular symbols across the top, and a grid of interior lines.

Localized erosion, possibly from water dripping from above, has worn away most of the central panel, leaving only a fragment of a Curvilinear symbol, but to the left and right some Linear symbols are still present, and the leftmost rock face still shows two cuved lines and some other fainter symbols including a short chain of circles and a concentric circle symbol.

An extensive fishbone pattern runs right along the top of the cliff face. Some faded linear symbols are present below and to the right.

Building up to the main panel, the symbols are now made up of several larger circles, from a fairly simple design flanked by a small spoken circle design and a symbol resembling an ice axe that repeats elsewhere at this site, to another circle in a recess that contains several of the axe-like symbols and has another partially spoked circle to its right.

A closer look at the circular element in its recess. The weathered design seem to show great age. The repeated “staff”-like symbols are visible in the upper portions. A solid oval with trailing lines sits at the center of the circle. Though harder to see, the angled cliff face on the right shows a smaller, simpler version of the circle in the recess.

The centerpiece of the site. The curious inverted-L symbol repeats four times ( three large and one small symbol ), each with small “ears” at the inflection. Symbols abound, from simple rake-like symbols to wavy lines, arrow-like symbols, simple shield designs, and the large circle with its abstract interior and carefully hatched lower perimeter.

Some Curvilinear designs, possible fertility symbols, have been carved over earlier spidery Linear designs on this rock face. The angled surface shows a Rectilinear design at the top. The design on that angled cliff face is almost reminiscent of a pot with grass or corn stalks sticking out of it.

Below the centerpiece motifs, the foot of the cliff shows densely packed smaller designs, some laid on top of each other. In this case, the Rectilinear design in the center right third of the picture clearly overlays the Curvilinear designs ( the horizontal wavy lines ) below it.

A closer look at one of the “staff” symbols, accompanied by a wavy line terminating in a V with twelve delicately pecked dots in the gap, as well as a rake symbol and a Rectilinear grid below it. On the left is another repeated symbol, a vertical line with three angled notches, and a possible fertility symbol.

The foot of the cliff shows a simple grid pattern following the shape of the boulder, with a couple of “comet”-like symbols consisting of circles with radiating lines to the right. Some other faint symbols are also present to the right.

To the right of the center panel ( note the repeating symbols on left ) another large circular element with many similarities to the first is drawn high up on the canyon wall. It is flanked on one side by a spoked circle and on the other by a maze or grid-like circle. Below it more circular symbols are present, and in the lower center of the picture a carefully drawn grid element is to the right of a symbol looking like a six-fingered hand.

A closer look at the main panel shows a few smaller elements below it.

The picture does not do justice to this circular symbol, which is about two feet in diameter, or to its companion, almost three feet high. The symbol to the right of the circle recurs elsewhere on this panel, and might be a ritualistic prop, like a short staff. Also present is a small spoked circle, a burst and a geometric symbol on the cliff facing the circle, and to the right, another large circle is visible, repeating symbols that look like simplified versions of the large staff-like symbol inside it, as well as showing a circle with lines trailing down below it that also repeats in several other circles.

A faded concentric circle symbol ( lower right quadrant ), a possibly modern circle with inner dot and line, and another “staff” symbol eroding on the rock in upper center sits at the northern edge of the central portion of this site.

A closer look at the second circle reveals two small rake-like symbols below the spoked circle, as well as another circle and some lines reminiscent of the inverted L-shaped symbols present in the main panel.

North of the climatic central panel, this weathered design can be found. It repeats a design from elsewhere on the panel in its main element of horizontal lines with a vertical bar, and it also shows some bird prints ( the upwards pointing arrows ) and some small circles, including two that contain concentric circles. It is notable that bird prints occur elsewhere in a spiritual journey context, and that the spiral shapes are said to represent the start of a shaman’s spiritual journey when he is swept up into the spirit world.

Taken from a distance, this wide-angle overview shot fails to capture the majesty of the central panel but does show the elements in relation to each other.

Newer designs have been scratched over the older lines in this panel. Also note the very faded lines on the rock face to the lower left.

This little panel of designs was visible at an angle in earlier overview shots. There is a design resembling a millipede, a well-proportioned spoked circle design, a series of parallel lines, and a single curved line. Also note the faint cross-hatch designs on the lip of rock directly below it.

An energetic geometric design sits across from a delicate grid radiating upwards from a starburst symbol.

Chalfant Canyon’s petroglyph panels were in the news a few years ago because of this maddening vandalism. Some of the symbols were cut out of the cliff face and stolen. ( This symbol proved too much for the thieves. ) The stolen symbols were later recovered. The market value for the objects of this theft is very low, and the federal penalty for damaging or stealing Native American artifacts is very high.

These beautiful designs have been lightly varnished by the passing years. The lower design’s wavy pattern is enhanced by repetitions of the design that precedes it – a slanted line with triangular “teeth” on one side of it.

A busy panel of Curvilinear designs, with a possible zoomorph towards the upper left.

A weathered Rectolinear grid design sits atop the cliff face, with evidence of a Curvilinear line next to it on the right.

The ancient carvings have almost eroded away on this rock face.

This area, close to the center of the site, shows extensive weathering to all the designs. It is right at the top of the cliff face. Erosion has lowered the wash bed over the years, so the older designs tend to be towards the top of the cliff face. In this panel, there is evidence of a burst symbol in the lower left corner and a shield design center right, as well as a few other faded lines.

These weathered symbols were once deeply carved into the sandstone rock, the reason they have endured to this day. The concentric circles in the lower left center are accompanied by some Curvilinear designs on the adjacent rock.

The circles connected by lines in the center of this panel can also be found in pictograph panels far to the south in the Mohave desert. Here, they are eroded away, which may mean they’re among the oldest symbols here. Also visible are faded Linear symbols on the right and a eroded burst figure lower left.