Journal Entry for Tuesday, Feb 21st

Hike To Sloan Canyon Got together today with Harvey Smith, one of the guys from the my weekly rock-hound hiking group, and headed out to the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, located just a few miles southwest of Henderson. With more than 300 rock art panels containing more than 1,200 individual symbols, this location is one of the premier petroglyph sites in entire state. (Click to Enlarge) It is the mystery associated with ancient rock art and its symbols that makes their study so very interesting.  Because there is no way to accurately date petroglyphs, which in some cases may be thousands of years old, it makes their interpretation extremely difficult.  Most often the exact meaning of a symbol has been lost to time or changed by passing generations or other cultures. According to some estimates there are over 50,000 "known" stone petroglyphs and pictographs in the Southwest and West alone.  There is strong evidence that a single symbol may have had several meanings. This is compounded by the fact that sometimes one tribe would borrow a symbol belonging to another, and the meaning they gave to it was sometimes quite different from the originators.  Therefore, meanings change from tribe to tribe and from one region to another. The problem of interpretation is compounded when one culture attempts to attribute a certain meaning to a symbol made by another culture living in another time.  Time itself has had a great impact on our inability to correctly decipher their meanings.  The migrations of many indigenous people created knowledge gaps.  Cultural differences between generations caused meanings to degenerate.  The combination of all of these factors makes trying to determine the exact meaning of these ancient symbols nearly impossible. Contrary to common belief, most symbols are not spiritual in nature.  Some are directional signs placed to mark a trail, identify territory, show the way to water, important places or some other natural or cultural feature.   Others identify specific tribes or clans.  Some were used to record history such as a memorable hunt or extraordinary deed.  Stories were told using symbols to illustrate characters or events.  Sometimes they were used as to identify astrological bodies and mark the position and movement of the sun, moon and stars.   Many symbols incorporate decorative patterns and designs that had no other meaning or intent, just as some common symbols and designs were used for decoration only in making of pottery and baskets. The spiritual life of the ancients often required the use of many symbols to represent various spiritual meanings in different times and regions, again making them difficult to interpret.  Religious ceremonies, stories and sacred beings were depicted. They represent the past and sometimes the future.  They tell mysterious stories of old cultures and give life and understanding to the study of a simple, yet complex people who lived in balance with nature and communicated their beliefs, dreams, and reality in symbols.  Yet, at the same time they are an enigma, and difficult if not impossible to decipher. To read about this hike and to view pictures and a slideshow, click the following link … Sloan Canyon. Here are some more petroglyph pictures ... Sloan Canyon Petroglyphs. Today's Food for Thought: "Oh, Great Spirit Whose voice I hear in the winds, And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me, I am small and weak, I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things yours have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock." – Chief Yellow Lark, Lakota