Painted Desert Petroglyphs

During our trip to Washington, we traveled through Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park. Here are some Petroglyphs contained within the park. It is also home to another "Newspaper rock".

I once heard someone say that if we were to disappear today, the future generations would have nothing solid to figure out our technology or history. Our books and computers would not survive as long as these petroglyphs have. It seems our ancestors had it right, if you carve the important stuff in stone, it will be there forever. Makes you wonder what they were trying to say to the future generations. Makes me wonder what I would say in stone if given the opportunity.

Petroglyph meca

I remember reading about "Newspaper Rock" in my very first anthropology class as a freshman in college. I always thought it would be a cool place to see up close and personal. I didn't think about it again until years later when on a road trip with two friends. I saw it was in the area, but it wasn't on the route we were taking. Alas, have not thought about it since, because I forgot where it was. It turns out it is on the road into the Needles part of Canyonlands NP. I stopped, I drooled, and took too many photos. I was the only person around at the time, so I spent considerable time just looking at it. There is so much to see, and since no one truly knows the meaning behind them, you can just make things up. The first photo, look for the bison throwing a man in the air, at least that is what I think it is. The second, look at stupid people defacing a part of history. The other ones are just pretty! :) Oh, and notice many of the footprints have six toes! Interesting!