This petroglyph site can be found on a marble outcropping on the northeast shoreline of what was once Lake Owens. The type of stone alone makes this site unusual, since petroglyphs are usually found on volcanic rock or perhaps sandstone, both of which are much easier to work than a hard material such as marble.
A possible atlatl representation, along with some other designs.
The petroglyphs themselves are pecked shallowly and comprised of many small pecks, as opposed to the incisions found at other sites with softer rock surfaces, or the larger and deeper pecks on volcanic rock.
Since marble is extremely durable and resistant to erosion these petroglyphs have persisted, revarnished in some cases but otherwise apparently impervious to the passage of time. Scholars place their age at more than 2000 years.
The petroglyphs on this rock face have been completely revarnished, indicating that they are among the oldest at this site.
A fishbone-like design and a Curvilinear design consisting of bisected and open circles joined by lines.
This partial overview of the site shows several rock faces with designs. In the foreground there are some abstract figures, above them is one of the circles with a grid-like interior that is commonly found at other nearby sites, and the hollowed out boulder in the background also has designs. Finally, a revarnished bisected circle is visible far right.
There are two primary pieces of evidence for the estimated age of the site. First, these petroglyphs are of the Great Basin Abstract style, which is thought to have originated 2,000 – 3,000 years ago.
Second, there is a possible atlatl representation at the site. One of the rocks, pictured above, bears a carefully formed design that may be an atlatl, a prehistoric spear throwing device. The design appears to have been created or repecked at some point after the oldest elements at the site, since it is not as patinated as some of the other designs. The atlatl was superseded on the Northern American continent by the bow and arrow around 2,000 years ago.
A single abstract design, possibly with three faint horizontal lines above and to the left of it.
A revarnished design consists of a circle with a plus-sign shape leading down from it to a Curvilinear symbol. A second circle with line sits to the left of this figure.
Most of the marble boulders have a smooth, rounded appearance.
Around 15,000 years ago this outcropping sat right on the shore of Lake Owens and was worn smooth by the waves rolling the rocky beach’s pebbles across it. Think of pieces of sea glass you can find at the ocean’s edge – the texture of these marble boulders is very similar.
At this point, with a picture of the past in our minds, a quick word on the recent history of this site is in order.
A closer look at the hollow boulder reveals some Rectilinear designs.
With a bit of online searching you will discover that some observers of this site have found specific, Western-oriented meaning in these symbols: in particular, an equinox marker and supposed Celtic, Christian, Muslin and Viking symbolism.
Also, an interpretation of an archeological survey that was done in 1929 lead the interpreter to believe that the symbols at this site depict the Western zodiac. However, the archeological survey’s abstracted depictions of some of the site’s elements and their relative groupings helped form this interpretation – in reality the site’s scattering of elements are grouped differently. Viewing the site in person shows this.
You have to look carefully to see the faded Rectolinear design, right in the center of this picture.
If you have an interest in these alternate interpretations of the site, you can find more information with a little bit of online searching or by using equinox-project.com as your starting point. While it is tempting to assign meaning to these symbols it is worthwhile to remember that the New World cultures that created these designs did not share the European cultural world view, and some casual correlations between these designs and Old World motifs is not evidence of Old World visits to this area.
Back to the present, or at least to historic times: this site has been partially quarried for marble and dolomite, which is very unfortunate since some of the elements have been lost as a result. The now abandoned quarry extends right up to the most elaborate part of the site, making one wonder what was lost.
A possible milling station.
The area is now very inhospitable – the diversion of water to Los Angeles has dried up Lake Owens and the surrounding region is rugged and arid.
The site does bear little evidence of habitation. The closest suggestion of habitation is in the form of a possible rock slick that could have been used for grounding.
Still, some time must have been spent at the site in prehistoric times in order to create the designs, and some of them show evidence of having been re-pecked, suggesting that they were significant to the people of this area for an extended period of time.
Six horizontal bars on a more lightly varnished rock.
The six horizontal bars shown above sit on a small boulder close to the ground. This boulder is also visible in the foreground of the atlatl image at the beginning of this entry.
This is the element that some consider an equinox marker. More information on the research that went into this determination can also be found online when researching this site.
A Curvilinear design stands out from the surrounds.
Another design that has piqued interest and suggested that this site was created by early European visitors is the Curvilinear design to the right.
This design is shown in detail here and in context to the surrounds in the atlatl picture at the start of this entry.
Those who hold the “European visitor” interpretation claim that this design depicts a horse.
Personally, I find it to be more in line with many other depictions in the Great Basin style. This style often consists of circular elements connected by straight or wavy lines, which are similar to the entoptic patterns that are often seen in trances brought on by ingesting hallucinogenic substances. These are the sorts of things a shaman on a vision quest might see.
A large boulder.
The larger boulder to the right has several distinct elements. There are some bisected circles ( another common motif in this area ) visible on the upper left corner of the boulder, but if you look closely you will also see some completely revarnished Rectilinear designs in the center of the boulder.
Finally, there is also a quite large symbol, shaped like a rounded M shape, below the circles.
Modern vandals attempted to scratch over these designs and discovered that the marble is very difficult to mark.
There is a semi-circular portion chipped out of the boulder shown above, likely by a falling rock from a dynamite blast during the time this area was quarried.
The chip is interesting to us because it shows the marble’s natural hue, giving us some appreciation for how much patina has accumulated on it since these designs were first pecked on the surface.
Lines in a protected area.
Curvilinear designs abound at this area. There are only a few Rectilinear designs, most of which have been heavily revarnished ( more than most other elements at the site ) suggesting that they are generally among the oldest elements at this site.
The marble boulders are spaced closely together, requiring some scrambling to navigate around the site, but they are also generally on the small side: nothing like the enormous granite monoliths that can be found down in the Mohave desert region.
Really hard to see, the center of this picture bears a design that may be a concentric circle with lines trailing off towards the bottom right. The design is slightly darker than the surrounding rock face. If you struggle to see it clearly, you can click the picture ( and any others on this blog ) for a larger version.
A close-up look is needed to see these revarnished designs.
This design is made up of several entwined lines. Note how the individual pecks are clearly visible. A similar design, executed in similar fashion, can be found at another site in the Great Basin.
Both halves of this wavy rock bears vertical lines.
Up higher, a spiral shape has also been completely varnished to be the same color as its host cliff face.
This rock may have split after the initial large grid-like pattern was etched, or the pattern may have been purposely created on both halves. A design appears to have been rubbed out on the left hand side. On the right is the “horse” shape we have seen previously, showing a trailing line of dots, and in the background is the slightly curved rock with six horizontal lines that may be an equinox marker. The atlatl design shown at the beginning of this entry is out of sight on the other side of the rock.
An old possible atlatl design, seen at left, endures next to modern lines, and in the foreground both old and newer elements are visible.
The extremely old designs are slightly darker than the surrounding rock face.
A sunburst.
On the left, some designs that are likely extremely old are faintly visible.
On the right is a beautiful, revarnished sunburst symbol.
This symbol is fairly close to the supposed equinox marker and therefore taken as a strengthening of that argument.
All the previous designs can be found along a slope leading up to the main panel, pictured below, which sits directly above the quarried area. It is fortunate that it was spared from destruction, since the bighorn sheep on it is exquisitely rendered.
Since this site is adjacent to a draw that leads up into the Inyo mountains, it might have been situated along a migration path for bighorn sheep and as such may have been well chosen as a hunting site. If so, this panel and perhaps the others depicting atlatls could have been intended as hunting magic.
The main panel bears Representational figures as well as some smaller abstract elements.
If you visit this site, please respect its history and do not damage or alter the site in any way. You will see that some areas of the site bears feeble attempts at modern graffiti, barely etched into the hard surface. Do not add your own.