2007/03/03
Rock Art
Brrrr...... it went below freezing last night -1.5 C. What’s going on? That’s about the same temperature that Campbellville is experiencing.
Hueco Tanks is divided into 2 sections — the area where you need a guide (2/3 of the park) and the area where you need a permit (the other 1/3). This morning we headed out to the restricted area with a guide to see Rock Art. The Rock Art can be more than 1,000 years old (a long time ago natives) or it can be 150 years old (stage coach era) or it can be more recent (one of the local Indian tribes consider it sacred ground and still hold ceremonies here.
In the afternoon we managed to get a permit to visit the north mountain — only 70 people are allowed on the north mountain at one time and we were lucky some people left in the early afternoon so we could go. Ed and I had a great time looking for a cave with pictographs ---- the instructions included “keep the rocks that look like 2 ducks on your right and look for a rock that resembles an alligator, it’s nose points to the cave”. We did find the cave and the art made it worthwhile.
Green-tailed Towhee --- Ed was able to take his picture from the comfort of the trailer.
Huecos are pockets in the rock which can hold water, Tanks are large areas where water is stored --- this is one of the tanks. Thus the name Hueco Tanks.
The ranger who took us on the tour is pointing out a symbol from one of the native tribes. This cave is still used by the tribe today.
These dancers are painted on the cave used by the Indian Tribe.
This is one of the oldest pictographs in the park --- carbon dating is used to determine the age.
Charcoal barbeques are not permitted in the park as they could affect the carbon dating process.
The only rock art using the colour turquoise. There is no substance in the area that will give this colour so it is thought that it was transported in by someone.
The "alligator" rock --- it took us a while to find him.
And the cave he was looking at (Kiva Cave). The open is less than 2 feet high --- we had to crawl in.
Frances looking at the art in the cave.
Two the masks found on the wall of the cave we searched for.
Another mask.
Another "tank"
Some of the stagecoach era rock art.
The holes in the rock were made by Indians who used them to grind corn. The Indians teeth were in pretty bad shape because of the bits of stone found in the cornmeal.
We called this Turtle Rock.
Some of the boulders.
Hueco Tanks is divided into 2 sections — the area where you need a guide (2/3 of the park) and the area where you need a permit (the other 1/3). This morning we headed out to the restricted area with a guide to see Rock Art. The Rock Art can be more than 1,000 years old (a long time ago natives) or it can be 150 years old (stage coach era) or it can be more recent (one of the local Indian tribes consider it sacred ground and still hold ceremonies here.
In the afternoon we managed to get a permit to visit the north mountain — only 70 people are allowed on the north mountain at one time and we were lucky some people left in the early afternoon so we could go. Ed and I had a great time looking for a cave with pictographs ---- the instructions included “keep the rocks that look like 2 ducks on your right and look for a rock that resembles an alligator, it’s nose points to the cave”. We did find the cave and the art made it worthwhile.
Green-tailed Towhee --- Ed was able to take his picture from the comfort of the trailer.
Huecos are pockets in the rock which can hold water, Tanks are large areas where water is stored --- this is one of the tanks. Thus the name Hueco Tanks.
The ranger who took us on the tour is pointing out a symbol from one of the native tribes. This cave is still used by the tribe today.
These dancers are painted on the cave used by the Indian Tribe.
This is one of the oldest pictographs in the park --- carbon dating is used to determine the age.
Charcoal barbeques are not permitted in the park as they could affect the carbon dating process.
The only rock art using the colour turquoise. There is no substance in the area that will give this colour so it is thought that it was transported in by someone.
The "alligator" rock --- it took us a while to find him.
And the cave he was looking at (Kiva Cave). The open is less than 2 feet high --- we had to crawl in.
Frances looking at the art in the cave.
Two the masks found on the wall of the cave we searched for.
Another mask.
Another "tank"
Some of the stagecoach era rock art.
The holes in the rock were made by Indians who used them to grind corn. The Indians teeth were in pretty bad shape because of the bits of stone found in the cornmeal.
We called this Turtle Rock.
Some of the boulders.
