Tag Archives: rock art

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Indian Wells Canyon Pictographs – “Cradleboard” Pictographs

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There are two pictographs sites in Indian Wells Canyon, this one and the “Mandala” one. In terms of elements present, this is the smaller of the two.

A quick word on Indian Wells Canyon: although the lower portions of the canyon are accessible by a rather fine dirt road, that road deteriorates quickly as you ascend the canyon. Some bumpy, overgrown sections are best NOT attempted in passenger vehicles. Additionally, the higher reaches are braided by several roads and picking the wrong one will quickly lead you into bad driving conditions.

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“Atomic Man” Pictographs

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This pictograph site consists of an elaborate, if faded, main panel, and a secondary panel containing some pictographs and petroglyphs.

I have my doubts about the authenticity of parts of this site, both because of its location in a region famous for filming Westerns, and because the subject matter of the more elaborate panel reads like a Western retelling or interpretation of what pictographs may have been like — an interpretive depiction of a mysterious tale, told in symbolism.

That said, this is only my opinion, and some features of the site I will discuss in this entry argue against this interpretation.

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“Comet Cave” Pictographs

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This site is located next to a small creek in historical Tübatulabal territory.

These pictographs are found in a rather large rock shelter, further protected by smaller boulders in front of the pictograph area.

The ceiling of this tall shelter shows substantial soot accumulation, suggesting extensive use. However I found only a single, rather shallow mortar grind hole nearby.  It is located on a small boulder in the far northeast part of the shelter, well clear of the pictograph area.

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“Solo Sheep” Pictograph

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This site is about 300 or so yards east from the “Ghost Dance” pictograph site, at a somewhat higher elevation.

Unlike the “Ghost Dance” site, which is isolated, this site is on the edge of a prehistoric Tübatulabal habitation site, as shown by extensive lithic scatter and bedrock mortars.

A view of the small opening at the back of the shallow shelter that hosts the pictograph. Note the soot streaks on the ceiling of the shelter.

A view of the small opening at the back of the shallow shelter that hosts the pictograph. Note the soot streaks on the ceiling of the shelter.

The pictograph is located in a small shelter at the upper edge of the habitation site. The shelter shows extensive soot deposits from fire. The ceiling of the area with soot deposits is not very tall, and the lip of the shelter extending beyond the soot affected area is probably too shallow to have made it a good habitation area.

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“Ghost Dance” Pictographs

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This site was quite a challenge to find, being out of the way and located on a single boulder in an area with many, many boulders.

The pictographs are under the overhang on the boulder to the right.

The pictographs are under the overhang on the boulder to the right.

After first finding it on an overcast day, I then had the painful experience of being stuck with photos that didn’t really come out, so I had to trek back one last time.

The site sits above a small ephemeral drainage that in turn feeds into an east-west running seasonal creek.

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“Snake Eyes” Pictographs

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This little gem was an accidental discovery: I had caught wind of the presence of a pictograph cave in the vicinity and was availing myself of an opportunity to look for it. Since the Volcanic Tablelands are known for petroglyphs, not pictographs, I was interested to see what the pictographs in this area looked like!

( In fact, I know of only three pictograph sites in this area, and they are all within a few miles of each other, suggesting a cultural intrusion into this area. )

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Ayers Rock Pictographs

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The Ayers Rock pictographs, or Bob Rabbit pictographs, as they are also known after the Kawaiisu shaman purported to have created them, consists of three panels painted on different sides of an enormous monolith at the southern foot of a boulder-strewn hill.

The pictograph boulder, seen from the north. There is a single pictograph in the alcove on the right, and a panel in the center recess.

The pictograph boulder, seen from the north. There is a single pictograph in the alcove on the right, and a panel in the center recess.

Bob Rabbit was well-known as a “weather shaman”, or  ̉uupuhagadi – which may be more accurately translated as “weather manipulator”.

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Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs

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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 →

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“Beautiful Rain” Pictographs

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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 →