Can You Read the Rocks....?

Can You Read the Rocks....?. Stop 2. , These pictographs were made by Native Americans some 800 to 2,000 years ago., How were they made? , Paint was made from powdered minerals, charcoal or crushed plants and mixed with a binder such as saliva, blood or vegetable juices. A yucca leaf chewed and frayed at the end made a good paint brush., What do they mean?. Religous Beliefs.... , Many pictographs have been indentified by Native Americans as representing sacred beings or ceremonies., History... , Pictographs may tell the story of a noteworthy event, like a successful hunt. Spirals, like the one depicted here, symbolize the travels or migrations of a clan., Signs... , Other pictographs appear to be trail markers. They may also have marked territorial claims or the presence of water., Calendars.... , Some pictographs were situated so that shadows or sunlight are cast on the images in a certain way only on the solstice or equinox. Archeologists believe these pictographs served as calendars for the Mogollon Indians who lived here long ago., Legends... , These are pictorgraphs that illustrate characters or event and traditional legends, Good Luck Charm... , Frequently, big game are painted. These may have been created to encourage fertility or a successful hunt., Journey Through Time, "Please do not touch the pictographs. Oil from human skin will damage them and can interfere with dating methods. Do not deface this artwork by adding your own. These irresplaceable masterpieces are easily destroyed."