This petroglyph site is a rarity for the area it is found in, which predominantly contain pictographs. The pictographs in the area were made by the Tübatulabal, who first came into the area about 12 centuries ago. This petroglyph site is likely older than the first Tübatulabal migrations into the area.
On a corner of a large north-facing boulder, a faint atlatl design can be seen.
The Tübatulabal used red paint to make their pictographs and many instances can still be found on the granite boulders in the area. Granite lends itself to pictograph painting, providing smooth, non-absorbent surfaces. Petroglyphs on the other hand are usually found on softer rocks such as volcanic rock or breccia, and especially and predominantly on rocks with desert varnish that can be removed to create the designs. The Sierra mountains typically offer neither.
Nonetheless, in the floodplains of some of the rivers in the area some of the water-scoured granite has picked up a dark varnish. A culture predating the Tübatulabal pecked at the darkly varnished rock, creating designs that still endure today, even through the seasonal floodwaters.
The subject matter of these petroglyphs, in addition to their worn appearance on the hard granite rock they were pecked on strongly suggest that they predate the Tübatulabal.
The right-hand side of the boulder shows many more designs. Note that some, such as the large circle top left, contain smaller detail, in this case some delicate cross symbols in the top right half and two wavy lines in the bottom half.
The Paiute-Shoshone sometimes left their desert floor territory to enter the mountains, but even they believe that some of the ancient designs in their territory, many of which are similar to the designs at this site, have been made by a culture older than theirs.
Spread out along a section of the river is a large north-facing boulder and some water-worn potholes and bedrock. The petroglyphs occur on some of these.
The boulder has borne the brunt of the floodwaters for ages. Its corners are worn smooth and its varnished surface shows damage from many flood-borne rocks smashing into it.
An overview of the boulder showing all the designs.
On this boulder there are some atlatl designs ( far left, as well as top center ) and some of the bisected circle designs that are commonly found in the Owens Valley. The cross-symbol with the small circle on the top point is almost identical to a part of the design at the Swansea site. This is likely to be coincidental, but it could also be a hint that the sites were created more or less contemporary to each other, or otherwise by a culture or cultures that shared some common symbolism.
Some distance from this boulder a large pothole has been naturally eroded into the bedrock, one of many similar potholes in the area. This one has worn through the side of the rock. Petroglyphs are carved both inside and outside of this pothole.
An overview of the decorated boulder. There are petroglyphs on the left, between the two parallel pecked lines, and in the partial pothole atop the boulder. The dark area in the lower right of the boulder leads to a big pothole with more designs carved inside.
There are several designs of bisected circles and circles connected with lines on the far left of this boulder, as well as between the two rows of pecked cupule-like lines.
A closer look at the pecked lines and the designs to the left of them.
The upper pothole.
The upper pothole contains a single design, also of the cross-like symbol with hooked ends that can also be found in the Owens Valley, and similar to the design on the boulder already discussed.
Inside the larger pothole is an atlatl design as well as many pecked cupule-like holes, some of them arranged in a line similar to the one found on the larger boulder.
There is something very interesting about how these petroglyphs are laid out. In the photo below, note how the spear of sunlight shining down into the hole appears to echo the shape of the design. A little earlier in the day and that stab of sunlight probably aligns nicely over the atlatl symbol, its lower tip fitting over the larger cupule ground into the line right below it.
Inside the pothole. Note how deliberate the placement of the atlatl symbol seems when you take the shape of the sunlight into account.
Speculating on whether this design was meant to be a time-keeper or seasonal indicator would be just that – speculation. Maybe the atlatl, a symbol of the hunt, was highlighted daily during hunting season?
Looking at the site from a different angle.
Although many petroglyph sites appear shamanistic in origin, displaying imagery from vision quests, some petroglyph sites were apparently connected to hunting magic and display images of the hunt, of weaponry ( atlatls, and much later, the bow and arrow ), and especially of the prey ( bighorn sheep and deer ).
It is possible, even likely in the light of the evocative imagery, that this site was meant for hunting magic.
The Linear design opposite the atlatl design in the pothole.
It is easy to imagine a shaman conducting a ceremony in the early morning as the sunlight lined up with the symbol, and the hunters setting forth invigorated by the promise of a successful hunt.
Opposite the atlatl is a simple Linear symbol. The pecked lines extend around the inside of the pothole.
A short distance away from this site there are more petroglyphs, completely revarnished and worn smooth by floodwaters. These designs have become very hard to see, practically needing the early morning light to cast them into relief before they show up.
Worn designs can be seen a little ways off.
Some of the surrounding rocks also appear to have traces of petroglyphs here and there, so this site may have been much more extensive at one point.
The whole area is very slick, even when the rocks are dry and the tread on your shoes are new and grippy.
Finally, walking back towards my vehicle, I spotted another boulder further away from the river that might have been covered in petroglyphs at some point.
A weathered boulder. Probably nothing …
The weathering on it is very similar to natural weathering on some other boulders in the vicinity, caused by rainwater freezing in small cracks overnight and gradually expanding the rock and flaking it off in patterns.
In places the patterns on this particular rock seem a little less natural than some. Maybe it, too, was covered in petroglyphs at some point, now almost obliterated by the weathering. With some imagination, some of the designs seem to confirm to typical petroglyph elements … maybe … probably not! But maybe. ( The curse of the rock art hunter after staring at a few too many rocks for the day. )
Of interest is the complete absence of bedrock mortars or grinding slicks in the area. The Tübatulabal made thousands of bedrock mortars in this area, preparing the pinyon nuts that formed a staple of their diet and that their tribe is named after. If they had used this area, such evidence of their stay would likely have been left behind. More likely, then, is that an older group, focused on hunting or perhaps also gathering different vegetation for food, had been in this area and focused mostly on hunting while there.
I usually caution about how fragile these sites are and how important it is to leave them behind untouched. In this case I will do the same, but I’ll also warn you that you are fragile, so a misstep on these slick rocks may well land you on your butt and bruise your tailbone! If you visit, take care both for yourself and for the petroglyphs!