{"id":1389,"date":"2010-11-20T07:20:14","date_gmt":"2010-11-20T13:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=1389"},"modified":"2026-04-11T11:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T16:38:01","slug":"utah-rocks-really","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2010\/11\/20\/utah-rocks-really\/","title":{"rendered":"Utah Rocks – Really!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HumanHuman and Snake Pictograph, San Rafael Swell, Utah<\/span><\/p>\n

While camping at the San Rafael Swell in Utah I had the pleasure of seeing and photographing some of the petroglyphs and pictographs in the area. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Fremont and Barrier Canyon cultures created this rock art on the face of the rock wall, the Barrier Canyon culture about 2000 years ago and the Fremont culture about 1000 years ago.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

All the images here were taken with my point and shoot Nikon Coolpix S550. If I return to that area I hope to photograph them again with one of my DSLR’s in better light. <\/span><\/p>\n

Snakes were common figures on rock art, the image above shows a single snake and a single human figure. The snake may represent a family group or clan, but no one knows for sure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Buckhorn Buckhorn Panel Sheep Petroglyph, San Rafael Swell, Utah<\/span><\/p>\n

Petroglyphs are pecked into the rock while pictographs are painted onto the rock. The figure in the petroglyph above may be a sheep, at the time this petroglyph was created there may have been many herds of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the area.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Petroglyphs were usually carved on dark rock faces so for me this one being carved on a light colored rock wall is unusual.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Buckhorn Buckhorn Wash – The Alcove Paintings<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0collection of figures\u00a0on the rock art wall above\u00a0are known as The Alcove Paintings. The artist or artists appear to have used a natural curve under the figures that almost makes it look like they are on a stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Petroglyphs and\u00a0pictographs are protected by state and federal laws\u00a0and fines are very high for those who deface them.\u00a0 You can clearly see the word “Dan” chiseled into the wall below the figures as well as other initials. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is a shame that whoever left those names and characters on this wall didn’t see the value of the treasure before them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"RainRain Angels Pictograph on Buckhorn Wash Panel<\/span><\/p>\n

The artists and the culture present when the image above must have known and understood what the long fringes on the head and arms\u00a0of the figures above stood for. <\/span><\/p>\n

There is speculation that it may have represented lightning, lines of power or rain. The long lines were painted on purpose, they weren’t just drips of paint. The tallest figure has holes\u00a0pecked in the torso. <\/span><\/p>\n

When I look at this I see a family; the tallest figure representing the male, the shorter figure on the right as a female and the small one on the left could be a young child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Human\u00a0Human figures and sheep pictographs at Buckhorn Wash<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The intricate shapes and designs of the Buckhorn Panel are fascinating to me. These human figures are elongated, there appear to be sheep, birds flying over the heads of the figures and on the lower section perhaps an early fence. <\/span><\/p>\n

I’m just speculating on that though. The longer you look at this panel the more details you will see.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HumanHuman figures with spears pictograph<\/span><\/p>\n

The figures above were painted and then holes were pecked into the chests. I’ve wondered if those holes represented the heart of the figures.<\/p>\n

There is a small figure second from the right that made me wonder if it was a coyote, it also has a hole in the chest. Some of the human figures appear to be holding spears or tools of some sort.<\/p>\n

What story did this ancient rock art panel tell? We may never know.<\/p>\n

\"AncientAncient people rock art pictograph at Buckhorn Wash<\/span><\/p>\n

Wind, water and ice are having their effect on rock art. Wind picks up particles of dust that can slowly wear away the surface of the rock art, removing the paint of pictographs and softening the lines of petroglyphs. Water from rains can leave mineral deposits that will eventually cover the art work. Ice in cracks of the rock can cause sections of panels to fall away because of the freeze – thaw cycle.<\/p>\n

Humans touching the art work can also cause harm to the petroglyphs and pictographs by rubbing on the art work, leaving oils from our hands which can degrade the paints used and as you saw in an image above some careless individuals can’t resist leaving their initials behind.<\/p>\n

We need to protect these national treasures so that perhaps one day we might understand the meaning behind the art. At the very least they should be protected so that generations to come can visit and admire the works of these Native American cultures.<\/p>\n

\"BuckhornBuckhorn Wash Panel of Petroglyphs and Pictographs, San Rafael Swell, Utah<\/span><\/p>\n

I always wonder what the lives of these ancient peoples were like and these petroglyphs and pictographs always\u00a0feel like openings in small windows of the past to me.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Utah landscape and scenery photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Fremont and Barrier Canyon cultures created this rock art on the face of the rock wall at Buckhorn Wash in the San Rafael Swell area of Utah<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1092,61,330,331,1015,26],"tags":[337,338,336,1093,4035,333,334,2434,335,4048,2435,30],"class_list":["post-1389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buckhorn-wash","category-man-nature","category-petroglyphs","category-pictographs","category-san-rafael-swell-area","category-utah","tag-barrier-canyon-culture","tag-buckhorn-panel","tag-fremont-culture","tag-hand-of-man","tag-nature-photography","tag-petroglyphs-2","tag-pictographs-2","tag-rain-angels","tag-rock-art","tag-san-rafael-swell","tag-the-alcove-paintings","tag-utah-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alcove-paintings-mia-mcpherson-san-rafael-swell-pictograph-utah-1853.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-mp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10127,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/11\/04\/the-san-rafael-swell-blm-keep-oil-and-gas-drilling-out-and-keep-the-wilderness-intact\/","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":0},"title":"The San Rafael Swell – BLM Keep Oil And Gas Drilling Out And Keep The Wilderness Intact","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"More environmental studies are needed before these lands in the San Rafael Swell are leased, before a well is drilled. Before it is too late to save a species from extinction.","rel":"","context":"In "Rattlesnakes"","block_context":{"text":"Rattlesnakes","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/rattlesnakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Petrified sand dune in the San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/san-rafael-swell-sculpted-by-time-mia-mcpherson-2259.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/san-rafael-swell-sculpted-by-time-mia-mcpherson-2259.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/san-rafael-swell-sculpted-by-time-mia-mcpherson-2259.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/san-rafael-swell-sculpted-by-time-mia-mcpherson-2259.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15239,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/06\/20\/san-rafael-swell-state-park-or-national-monument-designation-in-the-future\/","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":1},"title":"San Rafael Swell – State Park or National Monument Designation In The Future?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I also felt trepidation about the San Rafael Swell area because nothing within this state that is filled with stones is written in stone except the ancient pictographs and petroglyphs.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The San Rafael Swell, San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-1616.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-1616.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-1616.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-1616.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14583,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/19\/capitol-reef-national-park-petroglyphs\/","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":2},"title":"Capitol Reef National Park Petroglyphs","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I get so excited when I see and photograph the Rock Art of Utah and I always wonder about the artists and ancient people who created them.","rel":"","context":"In "Capitol Reef National Park"","block_context":{"text":"Capitol Reef National Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/capitol-reef-national-park-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Capitol Reef Anthropomorphs Petroglyphs, Wayne County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/capitol-reef-petroglyphs-mia-mcpherson-7766.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/capitol-reef-petroglyphs-mia-mcpherson-7766.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/capitol-reef-petroglyphs-mia-mcpherson-7766.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/capitol-reef-petroglyphs-mia-mcpherson-7766.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6192,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/09\/26\/lazuli-buntings-near-the-san-rafael-river\/","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":3},"title":"Lazuli Buntings Near The San Rafael River","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I have enjoyed photographing Lazuli Buntings (Passerina amoena) near the San Rafael River at the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. These images were taken in the spring when the males were high on perches singing to attract females.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Morning at the San Rafael River campground, San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-5166.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-5166.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/san-rafael-swell-mia-mcpherson-5166.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lazuli-bunting-male-mia-mcpherson-pigweed-4407.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lazuli-bunting-male-mia-mcpherson-pigweed-4407.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lazuli-bunting-male-mia-mcpherson-pigweed-4407.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lazuli-bunting-male-mia-mcpherson-pigweed-4407.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3332,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/10\/15\/close-encounter-of-the-snake-kind\/","url_meta":{"origin":1389,"position":5},"title":"Close Encounter of the Snake Kind!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent the rest of the trip in the San Rafael Swell area very carefully watching where I put my feet because I didn't want another Close Encounter of the Snake Kind!","rel":"","context":"In "Rattlesnakes"","block_context":{"text":"Rattlesnakes","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/rattlesnakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Midget Faded Rattlesnake close up, The Wedge, San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/midget-faded-rattlesnake-mia-mcpherson-emery-county-utah-0834.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/midget-faded-rattlesnake-mia-mcpherson-emery-county-utah-0834.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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