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Observing

Observing

Two of the three figures that make up the Secret Site which I have also seen referred to as the Observer Panel. Hidden in a shallow alcove in the San Rafael Swell, these are an exceptional set of Barrier Canyon Style pictographs with the main larger anthropomorph styled in a simple rake-like motif which is believed to represent rain. The smaller stick figure helps reinforce the rain interperetation since it appears to be pouring water from its hands. There is one more anthropomorph that is off to the right and out of the frame in this photo that looks similar to the large rake-like figure, except a bit smaller.

>> A Hot Day in the Swell Searching for Rock Art

Quail Panel

Quail Panel

Here’s a wide view that shows most of the pictographs that are part of the ‘Quail Panel’ I guess this panel was called that because the figures kind of look like quail? Whatever the reason for the name, I can tell you that this is a very cool panel of small pictographs. The figures here are approximately six inches in height. I don’t think I’ve seen a lineup of this many Fremont shield figures anywhere else before, and especially not painted in red and yellow. It’s interesting to note that each figure painted here appears to be different from all the others and that no two are exactly the same.

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Cowboy’s Secret

Cowboy's Secret

Here’s another of the rock art panels I visited this last Saturday in the San Rafael Swell, known as the Cowboy’s Secret. This is an amazing petroglyph panel hidden among many large boulders with a great view of the surrounding area. The main figure kind of reminds me of The Guardian figure painted in Canyon Pintado of Colorado which makes me believe that this could be of Fremont origin. The large snakes carved in the stone above frame this figure nicely.

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Black Dragon Creature

Black Dragon Creature

Before heading home last night, I made one last stop at the Black Dragon pictographs since it has been a while since I was last there. Thanks to recent flash-flooding, the road through the canyon was rougher than I remember it. I wasn’t sure if the pictographs would be in the sun or the shade, but when I arrived I found that the panel was bathed in some nice late evening sunlight. I also found out just how well the alcove traps heat. The temperature outside was in the upper 90’s, and this alcove must have been at least 10-20 degrees hotter! I could really feel the heat coming off of the sandstone as I climbed up to this panel….I ended up not sticking around too long because of it. I’m guessing this would be a great place to warm up in the colder winter months.

These two figures are found to the right of the well known ‘black dragon’ pictograph. There is the interesting anthropomorphic figure on the left and the large creature on the right which looks like it may possibly represent a dog, which is common in the Barrier Canyon Style, but I’m not 100% sure on that so I’ll stick to just calling it a creature. What I like about this scene is the lines in the sandstone that seem to radiate towards these two figures. However, I don’t like that most of the pictographs in this area are outlined in chalk.

>> A Hot Day in the Swell Searching for Rock Art

Broken-Hearted Man

Broken-Hearted Man

Yesterday I headed back to the San Rafael Swell in search of some more rock art. The upper ninety degree temperatures didn’t keep me away, but the high temperatures certainly made me keep my hikes short. Luckily the humid weather seems to have finally left the area and it was nice and dry out. Though, the gnats and mosquitoes seemed to be out in full force during this short hike in the morning. My first stop of the day brought me to the Broken-Hearted Man petroglyph. This square anthropomorph has the weeping eye motif normally associated with petroglyphs up around the Uinta Basin which is not very common in the Swell.

The name of this particular petroglyph seems to stem from a story of a nearby burial that was found containing a woman and child (possibly both lost during childbirth). It is thought that this petroglyph may have been carved by the father of the child. It’s an interesting story, but I wonder if the Fremont held the same concept of a ‘broken heart’ that we do? Either way, it’s definitely a cool petroglyph.

>> A Hot Day in the Swell Searching for Rock Art