Petroglyph National Monument (New Mexico)



Over 17,000 petroglyphs are located on the seventeen mile long escarpment of West Mesa near the western bank of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque. Most of this rock art was pecked or incised into the basaltic boulders between 1300 and 1680 A.D. The figures include snakes, birds, star beings, shamans, clan markings, and other symbology both natural and spiritual .
Shamans or kachina dancers (left) and winged star being (right)
Pair of birds, wing fan, and four pointed star on upright slab



Shield bearer
Macaw



Inside square: star and terraced icons meaning "land," "mountain," "cloud," or "house"



If you want to know more, consult the following books:

Polly Schaafsma, Rock Art in New Mexico, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, 1992.
David Grant Noble, Ancient Ruins of the Southwest: An Archaeological Guide, Northland Publishing, Flagstaff, 1991.
James R. Cunkle, Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People, Golden West Publishers, Phoenix, 1996.

Go to these web sites:
Collector's Guide Online: Petroglyph National Monument
National Park Service: Petroglyph National Monument




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Copyrighted © 2000-2007 by Gary A. David. All rights reserved.
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Contact: e-mail islandhillsbooks@msn.com



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