Work of Generations

Work of Generations. Petrified Forest. , Step up to the railing ahead and you will see one of the park’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. It is called Newspaper Rock for the more than 650 images pecked, carved, or incised in the boulders below. This unique site is part of a larger concentration of images carved along the sandstone bluffs south of the Puerco River, earning it the distinction of an Archeological District on the National Register of Historic Places., These petroglyphs were created by ancestral Puebloan people living, farming, and hunting along the Puerco River between 650 and 2,000 years ago. It is likely that residents of Puerco Pueblo, located less than one mile north of this site, were among the creators of these glyphs. The concentration of glyphs around Newspaper Rock suggests that many generations of ancestral Puebloans contributed to the messages on these sandstone bluffs., Layers of Meaning , Petroglyphs are made by chipping away through the rock’s natural black patina to reveal lighter sandstone beneath. This patina consists primarily of iron and manganese oxides with clay particles and organic material. The images you see represent ideas rather than a language. These representations include many types of glyphs, some of which are shown below, and point to a rich cultural history which continues today., The exact meaning behind each petroglyph is unknown, but collaboration with contemporary American Indians provides insight into the significance of these glyphs. Modern groups interpret petroglyph themes to include family or clan symbols, territorial boundaries, important events, and spiritual meanings. The movements of the sun, moon, and stars are also charted in a special group of glyphs used to manage ceremonial and agricultural calendars., Anthropomorphs – Human-like figures . Zoomorphs – Animal depictions . Spirals . Hand- or Footprints