Chidago Petroglyphs, June 2010 |
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| Road north with small parking area to explore the Chidago site. |
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| These petroglyphs are +/- 1,500 years old. |
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| Scholars believe this was a ceremonial site where shaman practiced their spiritual magic. |
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| Shaman would visit this site to experience vision quests and interpret what they saw while in trance. |
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| We don't know. We weren't here at the time. But scholars believe only shaman carved these symbols. |
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| A coiled snake petroglyph. Very likely living snakes are commonly seen among these boulders. |
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| A square maze, sun symbols, hand prints, snakes, and a mountain goat. |
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| Above these ancient symbols, the year 1921 has been faintly scratched into the rock. |
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| Not all surfaces in this tumble of volcanic rock feature petroglyphs. |
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| It is possible the central panel shown here illustrates a shaman's vision quest. |
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| Defaced whirlwind symbol. Shaman believed they were lifted, spun high off the ground while in a trance. |
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| Desecration exposes the soft, porous composition of the rock. |
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| Circle with double bisecting lines could represent spinning or whirling while in trance. |
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| Brightly colored Desert or Barred Spiny Lizard (photographed from some distance away). |
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| There are atlatl, also known as throwing sticks, depicted among the petroglyphs at the site. |
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| A group of concentric circles, spirals near the ground. And evidence vandals gouged, removed a carving. |
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| Another large, expressive panel. Possibly the work of a single shaman. |
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| Each symbol held a meaning for the shaman. Something they saw, experienced while in a trance. |
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| High on a rock face, these symbols may represent multiple spirit journeys. |
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| Higher up, with limited room to sit or recline while carving, another shaman vision panel. |
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| This panel is particularly interesting as it features a pair of stylized bear paws at right. Note: At no time do I touch or tread upon petroglyphs. I use a variety of telephoto lens to capture images. |
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| At the upper edge, a set of stylized bear paws with a coiled snake symbol directly below. |
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| Each of these petroglyphs has a meaning. The stylized atlatl helps date these petroglyphs to +/- 1,500 years. |
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| Chidago is one of four petroglyph sites in the Fish Slough area. Follow these links to see sites closeby: Kitchen Rock, Red Canyon, Chalfant |
| For more information visit: Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern |
| Recommended reading: "A Guide to Rock Art Sites in Southern California and Southern Nevada" by David S. Whitney and "Coso Rock Art, a New Perspective" by Elva Younkin |
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