Coyote Hole Rock Art #1 - The GOOD - Joshua Tree

The Coyote Hole rock art site is on the edge of the town of Joshua Tree (in Quail Springs Wash) and just outside of Joshua Tree National Park. The area was also used for habitation by the Serrano and/or Cahuilla Indians and is several thousand years old. At one time, it was considered one of the most important rock art sites in this part of the country.

Here is some of the good stuff...

Somebody had to do some climbing to create the petroglyphs on the top right, of the tallest rock. It is about 40 feet off the ground.

A closer look at the symbols. As you can see, much of the surface of this large boulder has eroded off as the centuries have passed.

Another tall stack of rocks containing petroglyphs.

It looks like there are a couple of layers of symbols in this panel. Some of them have almost been reclaimed by "desert varnish." Re-varnishing is one of the methods archaeologists use to date petroglyphs. The style of the petroglyphs can also indicate a time frame.

The image just to the right of center is called a dumbbell (as in a dumb-bell used for weight lifting). Of course a dumbbell is usually a straight line (or bar) connecting to round shapes. Of course, there were no "dumbbells" back then, and the jury is still out as to what this particular type of design represented. HOWEVER, when I was a youngster my granny told me that the traditional "dumbbell" image represented a conversation, negotiation, or communication, between two people. THIS image represented the same thing, but with another person "in the middle" acting as an intermediate, who passed the words of one person to another. It may have been needed because the two people needed someone to mediate what they were talking about, or because there was too much distance for the two to communicate directly. Maybe I'll gather up various types of "dumbbells" together that represent several types of communication.

My granddaughter Tay still loves this stuff. Note the graffiti on the large rock to her right and left.

Various designs. The one in the middle looks to be anthropomorphic (giving human like characteristics to something that is not human).

This panel contains six different images of atlatls. The atlatl is a device used to throw a spear, or arrow like shaft, before the advent of the "bow and arrow." This also aids archaeologists in dating petroglyphs.

This is the panel containing the images in the previous two photos.

A large mumber of images in this area.

Many images, some of which were apparently made by different tribes, in a different style, over a very long time period. Some are of the Great Basin Abstract (Curvilinear) style, and others are Rectilinear. There are a couple more Anthropomorphic images here also.

Rough country...

Although the large mortar in the middle has been there for a very long time, the rocks appear to be a fairly recent addition. I (and others) think that it is supposed to look like a fire ring. However, something just now struck me. Why would somebody go to all the trouble to arrange these heavy rocks in a circle? There isn't any visible evidence of fires in, or near the mortar.  In the next photo you can see a large rock (bottom right) that clearly has been "worked" and probably used as a grinding surface. Just a thought, but we will never know...

Coming next...

Coyote Hole Rock Art #2 -The BAD - Joshua Tree  

Alister's Cave Rock Art - Joshua Tree National Park

First off, Alister's Cave isn't actually a cave, it's an alcove, under an overhang, on the side of a cliff. It's probably one of the more well known "secret" rock art sites in the park. Having said that, the number of people who have either seen it, or heard about it, is minuscule. Most of the people who do know about it, are rock climbers and they pretty much ignore it. I'm happy to report, that there appears to be zero vandalism done to the site over the many decades that I've known about it. The main problem with the site is the degradation of the pictographs due to weathering and the natural decomposition of the granite surface. There are also a few faint petroglyphs on a portion of the floor. 

please embiggen this one

This photo and the next, may or may not be in the same area as Alister's Cave. 

Nothing to do with rock art, but it is in the area and is a beautiful example of a California Barrel Cactus

An alcove under an overhang on the side of a cliff. It's pretty tough sledding through all the boulders and vegetation snarls to get to a climbable spot. This isn't that spot...

As you can see, the pictographs are very faint. That is very unfortunate because there are a ton of them here in many layers. 

An enhanced (via DStretch) version of the photo above. Still not too good.

Another example of how faded most of the pictos are

Enhanced version of the previous photo

As viewed by me

Enhanced 

As viewed

Enhanced by DStretch. I recognize a few of them. There is a Yoni or atlatl in the upper right hand corner. There also appears to be a flying saucer in the middle of the photo. Nah!

A closer photo of the flying saucer looking symbol

Some visible black pictographs 

Enhanced version. At the top center, there appears to be a anthropomorphic symbol. The symbols that look like brooms are likely representing rain. 

This panel is pretty much invisible to the naked eye

Thanks to DStretch, we can at least see what is left of the pictos in that spot

Once again, very hard to see. It does look like there are some very faded reddish, white and black symbols.

This enhanced version of the previous photo, reflects exactly why DStretch is so amazing...  The large white image to the upper left is clearly anthropomorphic (human, or human like). The red symbol in the center might be an atlatl (spear or arrow thrower). The appearance of an atlatl indicates that at least some of these symbols are VERY old, because the atlatl was used to "throw" arrows, darts and spears before the appearance of the "bow" in this part of the country.

In the next two photos, you will be able to see, that there are old pictographs drawn over older pictographs. 

Enhancement #1 is concentrated on the dark pigments

Enhancement #2 is concentrated on the red pigments. Old on top of old, on top of older.

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