# 5 - I thought that, after a few days, I'd quickly tire of visiting ruins, but they were all very different, in one aspect or another.
Besides they were great fun trying to find. Even when you know the location, the trail was rarely obvious.
Posted by Pete Miller on June 15, 2012 at 10:01 AM
Great find Bill! Going to take a while to digest these, but certainly love the initial pass. :) #2 & #5 are my fav's so far.
Posted by Todd Caudle on June 15, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Great stuff! Looking at 2 and 3, is it such a stretch to conclude that Earth was visited by extraterrestrials during this period? Like the Nazca Lines in Peru.
What a great series of glyphs, Bill! I like your conversions on all of these, as well as the comps and formats you worked in.
I suspect is was not extraterrestrials, TC. I'm wondering if instead of medical marijuana dispensaries, that maybe there were pharmaceutical peyote dispensaries. Looks like somebody was trippin'.
Posted by Mark Stahlke on June 15, 2012 at 6:16 PM
What's your interpretation ?
- Spirits ascending
- Family portrait
- Three fish
- Mother with two children
- Alien close encounter
I've always wondered if what Todd said has a ring of truth, especially after seeing some of these 'glyphs. Nice finds!
The last one is definitely 'post-Anasazi'. Could be Ute or Navajo 'glyphs.
I like your b&w interpretation of Fallen Roof, but do believe it would look better with a healthy boost in contrast for some deeper blacks.
Those are all excellent, Bill. #2 and #3 are especially interesting!
I sometimes wonder what the human thought process would have been like without the dominant left brain thought processes of our modern logical scientific and verbal society. Maybe there was some sort of a sixth sense that has become vestigial in more "advanced" cultures. I think a lot of the indigenous cultures around the world used ritual entheogens.and there was probably at least some datura in those areas.
Posted by Kalin Wilson on June 16, 2012 at 1:49 AM
Love your presentation of the glyphs. That area is high on my favorites list. It's one of the first places I think of going when I have a few days. Nice work!
NIce set of images, Bill. Often wondered myself the interpretation of rock art. I asked an archeologist on our staff to interpret the image I attached. It was taken in Capitol Reef Nat'l Park. Apparently, it was created by Fremont Indians who are some of the oldest known inhabitants of the area. Notice the similarity to some of your images? They usually have trapezoidal shaped bodies with arms, legs and fingers. The figures are often elaborately decorated with headdresses, ear bobs, and necklaces. Anywho, our archy indicated the images could be recorded religious or mythological events, migrations, hunting trips, resource locations, travel routes, celestial information and other important knowledge to share with other tribes. Seems to me its like a diary on rock. What was interesting about the place I took these photos is that the art was at least 15 feet off the ground and many much higher. So, somehow they either built ladders and repelled down the face of this cliff.
The bottom line though, is that archeologists frankly don't really know the absolute meaning of rock art. So yea, peyote or Indian rice grass beer could be the answer
Posted by Doug Koepsel on June 16, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Bill, the first image reminded me of the tadpole shrimp that are found in desert potholes. Fallen Roof sure is photogenic.
I'm pretty sure the guy in the bottom center of #3 is comfortably numb
Clearly #2 is the record of the great kegger of 1015 AD. Man you should have been there!
Posted by Rod Chandler on June 18, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Bill, I have not posted any images - YET - but I spent a week along Comb Ridge in May shooting similar ruins and rock art. If you do not have Craig Child's book HOUSE OF RAIN, I highly recommend it. I am afraid I may be hooked on cave dwelling and rock art exploring.
A really nice collection of work! I love the Cedar Mesa and Comb Ridge area and can't wait to get back there next year.
Posted by Rodney Ninow on August 11, 2012 at 12:02 PM
#5 is really, really nice! I just shot there yesterday, wish I had seen this first, don't think I shot quite that wide. Oh well, I have a friend who is dying to go, so have an excuse to go back.
Discussion
20 repliesThe pictograph above was found while exploring the ledges around some ruins. Have any of you seen anything similar in the Four Corners area ?
What's your interpretation ?
- Spirits ascending
- Family portrait
- Three fish
- Mother with two children
- Alien close encounter
Besides they were great fun trying to find. Even when you know the location, the trail was rarely obvious.
I suspect is was not extraterrestrials, TC. I'm wondering if instead of medical marijuana dispensaries, that maybe there were pharmaceutical peyote dispensaries.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.
The last one is definitely 'post-Anasazi'. Could be Ute or Navajo 'glyphs.
I like your b&w interpretation of Fallen Roof, but do believe it would look better with a healthy boost in contrast for some deeper blacks.
I sometimes wonder what the human thought process would have been like without the dominant left brain thought processes of our modern logical scientific and verbal society. Maybe there was some sort of a sixth sense that has become vestigial in more "advanced" cultures. I think a lot of the indigenous cultures around the world used ritual entheogens.and there was probably at least some datura in those areas.
The bottom line though, is that archeologists frankly don't really know the absolute meaning of rock art. So yea, peyote or Indian rice grass beer could be the answer
Clearly #2 is the record of the great kegger of 1015 AD. Man you should have been there!