There are so many awesome petroglyph panels near Moab, but this one has got to be one of my favorites in the area. There is a lot going on it this panel, and it’s probably telling a story that we will never understand. My favorite figure is the large Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph that the smaller ‘supplicant’ figures seem to be facing. This panel is still in excellent condition, and I really hope that it stays that way! I could just sit at the base of this panel and study it all day!
Here’s a closer look at the middle portion of the Unexpected Panel that Philippe and I stumbled across last month. There is a lot going on in this spectacular panel! At the bottom sits what appears to be a large rain cloud. Above that there are some figures that seem to be in a supplicant position. There is also an interesting vertical squiggly line with a circle on each side. That design is also repeated above the white rainbow. Above the supplicant figures is a row of circles, followed by a row of very small and fine lines and then a white rainbow outlined by thin ochre lines above it all. Then to top it all off, there are two larger anthropomorphic figures that seem to be floating above. This is a very detailed pictograph panel and I could just sit and stare at it all day 🙂
Here’s a very intriguing Barrier Canyon Style pictograph that Philippe and I accidentally discovered in the San Rafael Swell last month. This is just the very top portion of the panel I’ve called The Unexpected Panel and it is very well preserved…it’s also my favorite part of this entire panel! The ‘holes’ in this figures’ hands and feet remind me of the Skeleton Shaman located at the Head of Sinbad, though this one has much longer and curved fingers. It seems to be interacting somehow with the ‘flying circles’ which might represent birds? Below those ‘flying circles’ there also appears to be a dog-like zoomorph with some details painted in it’s body that are reminiscent of the Intestine Man near Moab.
Here’s a Barrier Canyon Style pictograph panel that my friend Philippe and I ‘unexpectedly’ found while searching out some rock art in the San Rafael Swell. It’s an amazing panel and we both spent a good amount of time examining all the fine details. One thing I noticed while visiting this panel and searching the surrounding area for more rock art is that there was no footpath leading to this panel…not even a footprint anywhere around.
When I got home, I asked around to see if this panel had a name, and to my surprise, I was unable to find anyone else who has seen this panel before! While I am sure that we are not the first people to stumble across this panel, it’s kind of cool to find out that it’s not very well known at all.
This is an overview photo of the very large, tall and complex panel. I have other closeup shots of the different sections that I will probably post here in the future!
Get out there and start exploring….you never know what you might find!
