This is the last little site we found during an exploration of a pretty big stretch of the Tablelands. By this time the day was fine and hot, with the occasional cloud providing some relief from the sun, and we were winding down to the point where even a small rock to be stepped over felt like a boulder to be climbed.
These petroglyphs are pretty spindly and lightly pecked. There’s a hesitant, uncertain feel to them even though they are quite well-made. The burst, the squiggle line, and the bird prints are all common in this area.A close-up look. Even though the rough texture of the rock could make scratched petroglyphs look pecked, I think that these are actually pecked, likely with a chisel and hammerstone as opposed to being pecked with just a hammerstone. If a chisel wasn’t used there would be misdirected pecks. Also, take a moment to appreciate that squiggle line. It is a delicate, finicky element for this technique and surface.There are some sparse flecks of obsidian on the ground.Higher up in the outcropping ( petroglyph boulder in the background ) is a large grinding slick / rubbed area.A single petroglyph on a boulder. The chasm separating that boulder from the flock is deeper and wider than it appears here. I’m not going to try hopping it just for that petroglyph! I made it this far without falling into a crack and that’s a streak I’d like to keep alive.Fortunately most camera lenses are equipped with a handy “zoom feature”, so I spin the ring to the left and click away.
And now, it is time for us to stow the cameras, shoulder the packs, drink a little water, and walk back, squinting into the bright afternoon sun. Nothing like the good kind of tired that comes at the end of a long overland ramble!
