Folks,
I have a unique fascination with petroglyphs - images created on and in rock by abrading or removing part of the rock surface. Petroglyphs have been found everywhere on earth with the exception of Antarctica - where we'll probably find them once the southern ice cap melts. Yikes.
The oldest petroglyphs are estimated to be 12000 years old - the ones in this region, about 1000 - 2000 years old - left by the Fremont/Anasazi Indians.
There have been many theories on whether the petroglyphs are a form of communication or primitive artistic expression, graffiti, etc. There are some individuals here in North America that are convinced that the petroglyphs in the four corners area hold the key to Montezuma's legendary lost treasure - see here,
There are many modern day scientists who theorize that it was the drive to communicate and the need for artistic expression that resulted in the rapid increase in brain size and capacity of hominids resulting in present day homo sapiens. And I think there is some resonance there and that is why we are fascinated by petroglyphs. In some very primal part of our brain stems there is a collective gene memory (meme) of these images and what they may mean.
One of the most famous petroglyph panels is Newspaper Rock - just on the entrance to the Needles area of Canyonlands. We were there yesterday to view that and photograph it.
One of the aspects of specifically traveling to photograph something is being alert to the serendipity around you that may result in an unexpected photo op. Some of the best and classic photographs have been taken simply because the photographer and camera were presented with an opportunity, while lasting only a moment, was captured as just a whim while waiting for the main subject to be ready - or traveling to or from a shoot.
The photos included herein - with the exception of the petroglyph one, are ones that just presented themselves while photographing the petroglyphs or traveling to/from the petroglyph sites. They are not classic - just an example of the kinds of things that can happen if you are simply 'out there' with a camera in hand.
To quote verse 87 of the Krome Koan, 'If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?'
Phil
PS - strangely enough, other examples of this type of rock art can be found in the Moab Brewery ... yes, very strange ...
No comments:
Post a Comment