Parowan Gap Petroglyphs 5

by Donna Kennedy

Title

Parowan Gap Petroglyphs 5

Artist

Donna Kennedy

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Original Fine Art Photography by Donna Kennedy
Photographed at Parowan Gap, Utah

Parowan Gap Petroglyphs...
Several centuries ago Native Americans traveling through the area stopped and pecked designs onto the smooth faces of large boulders found on the east side of the gap. Over the years many of the boulders have been covered with these chiseled figures known as petroglyphs.

The petroglyphs here are thought to be the work of several cultural groups and represent a long period of use by Native cultures. What these designs mean is still unknown. Archaeologists debate that they represent concepts, ideas or actual happenings. Perhaps they were part of a religious activity or hunting ritual. The local Native Americans consider them to be an important part of their cultural history relating stories of their ancestor's lifeways.

New dating techniques are being developed that will allow petroglyphs to be placed in time. While we don't know the precise age of these petroglyphs yet, we do know that the agriculturally based Sevier-Fremont lived in the area over a thousand years ago. There is little doubt that some of the designs were made by this group, or perhaps even the earlier nomadic Archaic peoples. Archaeologists have argued that the petroglyphs are in fact a complex calendar system. Hopi and Paiute peoples have a variety of interpretations for the rock art as well, which includes representations of humans as well as depictions of animals and geometric shapes.

While there has been a certain amount of damage and vandalism since the arrival of Anglos, the majority of the petroglyphs are intact. Among them is a much more ancient reminder of the past in the form of a few preserved dinosaur footprints.

The Parowan Gap Petroglyphs are listed on the National Register of Historic Places signifying its importance as a cultural treasure. When sites are damaged in any way, much of what they can tell us is lost forever. Rock art should be photographed or sketched but not touched in any way.

Thank you to the Administrators that Featured this photo in the following Groups:
-USA Photographers ONLY
-Arts Fantastic World
-Art-It Is Good For You
-Villages of the Lost

Uploaded

June 28th, 2019

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags