This is a small petroglyph site in the Mojave desert: a couple dozen glyphs on an eroded lava flow above a wash. Unfortunately, vandals have found the site too and scratched some spindly marks around or over some of the petroglyphs.
We scoured the desert floor beneath the petroglyphs and didn’t find much in the way of evidence of habitation – no lithic scatter or rock alignments or grinding slicks or anything of the sort. The site does sit at a natural pass between low mountain ranges, so it may have been associated with travel, or perhaps saw seasonal use.
The petroglyphs at this site tend to be simple designs, like this shield design.
There’s a meander line close by this shield design.
A row of dots running vertically up a rock.
A Representational figure, the only element at the site that isn’t abstract.
Some faint lines.
A net-like design. This seems abstract, but if it was representing a basket or a net used for gathering food, it could be representational as well. You can clearly see the peck marks in this image, although some of the cross-hatches do appear to be scratched as well.
A simple Rectilinear element.
Some X-marks and a short chain of connected circles. The later is a very common rock art element in this area.
An overview shot to show how some of these elements are grouped.
A little further north of the previous picture.
The wide open flat below the outcropping, with the wash in the foreground.
We find one more boulder with a heavily patinated design in the jumbled boulders on the flat below the outcropping.
It’s a pretty little design, with a tiny little rake design at the edge of the boulder.
Well, that was it! This little site is in an area that saw some historical use, and the vandalism probably dates back to that period. While it is not an extensive or spectacular site it had meaning for the people who made it. Pecking these designs take time and effort. If you visit, keep in mind that others walked this land before you did and others will walk it after you’ve left. Take care to leave it behind as you found it, for others to see and appreciate.