Petroglyphs and Pictographs

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Petroglyphs and Pictographs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:24 am

Greenwater Canyon petroglyph site
If you want to see some petroglyphs there are places to go in Death Valley to see them. Here's one:
The Greenwater Canyon petroglyph site is located in the Greenwater Mountains of southeast Death Valley, and about 35 miles northwest of Shoshone, California. This section of Greenwater Canyon ranges from 30 to 100 feet wide, is about a quarter long, and the steep boulder sides tower 50 feet above the canyon floor. At this point the canyon runs down hill south to north, and the majority of petroglyphs are at least 10 feet above the sandy bottom.

Image
LINK: http://www.petroglyphs.us/photographs_petroglyphs_Death_Valley_GC.htm
Last edited by sandman on Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:31 am

Nelson Range Petroglyph Site photos
Here's a site just south of Saline Valley and near Lee Flat. There are also some near Conglomerate Mesa. Either that or there is just the one canyon between the Nelson Range and Conglomerate Mesa.
Tucked away in Death Valley's Nelson Range is a pretty spectacular petroglyph site. Archaeological journals state that it's the northernmost site to reflect the Coso petroglyph style. This jewel sprawls its way up a canyon that was apparently a native American migration route as well as a camping spot and water source... Since there are no longer any roads or trails that lead to this site, a cross country hike is necessary.

LINK: http://www.dzrtgrls.com/nelson_range_petroglyphs/nelson_range_petroglyphs.html
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:39 am

Blackrock Well Petroglyphs
My guess is that the Nelson Range petroglyphs and the Blackrock Well Petroglyphs are the same site just referred to using different names.
We arrived at the Buckhorn Boxcar Cabin, a couple of hours after dark... From the camp site, our drive wasn’t far – a few miles down Saline Valley Road, a left at the Y in the road at White Mountain Talc Road, and badda-bing. From where we parked the Jeep, we had a several mile hike across Lee Flat – an area known for its Joshua Tree forest... As we neared the canyon, in which we were to ascend – basalt rock began to litter the landscape across the valley floor. I studied the basalt boulders, as we passed them by – looking for any sort of alignments, circles, or evidence of use as a grinding slick, or metate.

LINK: http://deathvalleyjim.com/2014/10/28/blackrock-well-petroglyphs-death-valley-national-park/
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:45 am

Marble Canyon
Here the claim is made that the northern Panamints is a great place for Native American rock art.
It is a relatively easy drive on a dirt backroad just west of Stovepipe Wells about ten miles, and petroglyphs may be found in here if we are on the lookout. Apparently, about a third of the petroglyphs to be found in the park exist in this region of the northern Panamint Range.

LINK: https://oldtrailmaster.wordpress.com/what-to-see-m-z/
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:53 am

Panamints?
Here's one that's supposed to be in the Panamints. It looks like it might be a little ways north of Wildrose Road...
Image
LINK: http://www.petroglyphs.us/photographs_petroglyphs_panamint_mountains_death_valley_EP.htm
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:56 am

Rainbow Canyon Petroglyphs
From the sounds of things this one isn't too far off Highway 190.
At the time I wasn’t sure what I had stumbled on, but later research indicated that this was an old Highway Construction Camp, from when Highway 190 was being built. You can read more about the Highway Construction Camp here... When I neared the wash that dumps into Rainbow Canyon, I abandoned the road, and made a beeline for the basalt outcroppings. I spotted a petroglyph boulder just moments later, along a small stand-alone outcropping.

LINK: http://deathvalleyjim.com/2015/01/15/rainbow-canyon-petroglyphs-death-valley-national-park/
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:03 am

Mesquite Spring Petroglyphs
Here's another one located in Death Valley proper:
Mesquite Spring is located in the northernmost part of Death Valley. This part of the valley has numerous cotton top cactus, blister beetles and cholla cactus. On the alluvial fan above the springs there are 2-3 thousand year old petroglyphs from the extinct Mesquite Spring culture.

LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Places_of_interest_in_the_Death_Valley_area
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby sandman » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:15 am

Hunter Mountain - Jackass Spring
And here's one more to whet your appetite:
Image
LINK: http://www.backroadswest.com/deathvalley/RoadTripHunter.htm
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Re: Petroglyphs

Postby wildbill » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:26 pm

Bircham Springs Petroglyphs
This is interesting. I doubt that it's possible to get permission to visit this site any more. Lots of good pictures though.
Our destination was Bircham Springs. The high plateau on the east side of the Argus Range where the springs are located was once more accustomed to the chipping of obsidian than the thud of ordinance; to the whistle of an arrow or atlatl spear in flight than the roar of a combat jet.

LINK: http://www.dzrtgrls.com/bircham_springs_petroglyphs/bircham_springs_petroglyphs.htm
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Re: Bircham Springs

Postby cactuspete » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:23 am

wildbill: The Bircham Springs petroglyphs are probably the same ones that you get to by hiking up from the Russian's Cabin. It's a couple miles into base territory, but it's on the east side of the ridge and so it's not that hard to get to. The host of this site actually has some of those petroglyphs on display at his dvplants.com website.
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