#petroplyphs

[titibaka-artist]

Pendant with rock carvings from the Nordic Bronze Age.

[lunasong365]

Fremont culture petroglyphs, circa 300-1300 CE. Carved into exposed cliff faces.

Not the easiest thing to find (click). Or to photograph.

Capitol Ridge National Park, Utah, along the Fremont River.

[mypubliclands]

Add BLM New Mexico’s Three Rivers Petroglyph Site to your Summer Bucket List for direct access to a large number and concentration of petroglyphs.  The site, located in New Mexico’s northern Chihuahuan Desert, is one of the largest and most interesting petroglyph sites in the Southwest.  There are more than 21,000 glyphs of birds, humans, animals, fish, insects, and plants as well as geometric and abstract designs that date back to 900 to 1400 AD at the site.  The Jornada Mogollon used stone tools to remove the dark patina on the exterior of the rock to create the rock art.  There is also a small pueblo ruin nearby. Visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, and picnicking at the site.  There are two trails, one trail takes visitors to the most interesting petroglyphs and another trail leads visitors to the remains of a Mogollon village.  Five shelters, two RV campsites, and one group/handicap site are at the Three Rivers site for a fee.  Just 17 miles north of Tularosa and 28 miles south of Carrizozo, visitors can experience an ancient world.  Visit the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site for more information: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/las_cruces/three_rivers.html By: Emilee Cantrell; photos:  Donna Hummel

[mypubliclands]

La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site I took a quick morning trip to La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site to visit the area’s petroglyphs.  The site is beautiful and just minutes from the BLM’s New Mexico State Office and a few miles from Santa Fe.  From the top of the mountain, Santa Fe is visible and has a breathtaking background of blue sky and mountains. Even though the site is minutes from Santa Fe, I felt like I was far away discovering an ancient civilization.  The petroglyphs are scattered about the site, which is known for the large number of hump-backed flute player images and bird figures.  Most of the petroglyphs were created by the Keresan-speaking puebloan people that lived in the area between the 13th and 17th centuries. The hike took about an hour and was relatively easy, perfect for a summer morning. For more information visit the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site website: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/taos/la_cieneguilla.html -Photos and story: Emilee Cantrell

[mypubliclands]

Gems in the Rough: Little Black Rock is a Little Wonder The good news about Little Black Mountain Petroglyph site located on BLM Arizona Strip’s public lands is that the trail itself is an easy, short walk for all kinds of novice hikers. It’s especially rewarding for families too as kids needn’t get muddy from the trail with the gravel lined paths that skirt the fragile glyphs—a real perk during the Mojave Desert’s “mud months”.  The site, which contains more than 600 petroglyphs or “rock writings,” is a real gem for those who aren’t able to venture out into the hinterlands of the Arizona Strip because it captures the spirit, essence, and magic of the natural, little wonders found all over BLM public lands. The site, like many other archeological sites, is held sacred in nature and cultural value to area American Indian tribes. While the site previously suffered a small rash of vandalism, an unfortunate result of its proximity to town, the BLM takes seriously its stewardship role in the management of these natural resources and cases of vandalism here have resulted in prosecution. 

For More Information on Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site go to: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/cultural/lil-blk-mtn.html#trail

Story and photos by: Rachel Tueller