Strange Petroglyphs in Imperial County 12-9-2018
A recent hike into a remote part of the Desert of Imperial
County involving a lot of rock climbing, boulder hopping and bushwhacking. We encountered many unusual sites along the way including some unusual rock art in the form of petroglyphs. there was also Palm Oasis's and signs of early inhabitants and a beautiful countrysides everywhere one looked, everything one wants in a great hike. Some of the rock art is very hard to find and takes a sharp eye to spot it, other petroglyphs are fading slowly away and may soon be gone. |
Native American Grinding Site on The Way to The Area
The next four images are of Mortero's a form of mortars found in rocks. This group was situated within a pile of rocks on the long hike just to get to the area where we wanted to hike into. The mortero is a grinding feature for processing food with the use of a pestle stone.The food is place within the mortero and the pestle stone is hammered up and down to grind the food.This could be nut, seeds,roots or other tough foodstuff.
Pestle Stone (not from this hike)
Another Mortero Site
A Good Omen
Entering The Canyons
The Hike to this point the opening to the canyon was an arduous hike to get here, then to enter you hit this which goes on for a good ways. Then a long hike ahead of you. When you finish you get to turn around and come back.
There are also branches within so don't mistake these on the way back. The area is remote and not where you want to get into trouble. I did exploratory hikes into both ends and the surrounding area before I decided to do it with friends.
The Area is known to be frequented by Human traffickers and Smugglers.
There are also branches within so don't mistake these on the way back. The area is remote and not where you want to get into trouble. I did exploratory hikes into both ends and the surrounding area before I decided to do it with friends.
The Area is known to be frequented by Human traffickers and Smugglers.
The Petroglyphs are both a bit strange and unusual they are spread out for miles and some are very hard to find.
Fading Panels Anthropomophics and More Enigmatic Symbols
There is quite a bit of evidence of previous Inhabitants to be seen
The Ship Petroglyph Rock Shelter
So This Site is a controversial, The trouble maker is the one that looks like a ship with a furled sail on it,though when you get down to it there are two that look like ships.There are multiple stories for this and the supporters of them can get passionate in their support. One Story with different variations is about Lake Cahuilla of which the Salton Sea is now filling a small area of what use to be the far larger lake. The lake was supposed to be in the story connected to the sea by an inlet and a Spanish Ship laden with treasure and pearls sailed up this connection. The ship was there a short time when a mighty earthquake jarred the land, the water receded when the land lifted up and stranded the ship many miles from the sea.
There a variation with Vikings and Gold, many people have claimed to have found the ships in isolated areas
There also the story that the artist may have observed one of the early explorers sailing along the coast, possibly Rodriquez Cortez himself in 1542. Then again there could be another meaning lost with the passing of time.
There a variation with Vikings and Gold, many people have claimed to have found the ships in isolated areas
There also the story that the artist may have observed one of the early explorers sailing along the coast, possibly Rodriquez Cortez himself in 1542. Then again there could be another meaning lost with the passing of time.
The Shrine
A Group of Petroglyphs
Some rocks over time due to Weathering and or chemical reactions develope a coating sometimes called a desert varnish. Petroglyphs are symbols etched through the darker coating to reveal the lighter rock below.
Pictographs are symbols applied to a surface with a pigment, all rock art spotted on this hike is petroglyhs
Pictographs are symbols applied to a surface with a pigment, all rock art spotted on this hike is petroglyhs