Graffiti or a life story? [Hovenweep]

Took a break from camp hosting duties today. We joined a troop of ranger trainees for the day as they toured various ancestral Pueblan structures at Hovenweep. What made this memorable was a hike down a seldom-used, restricted trail to view some special "graffiti."

Most of what we see at Hovenweep are pictographs-- rock paintings. What are not readily accessible to the public here are the petroglyphs-- etched images. There are far fewer of them and thus in need of extra protection.

Beholding the petroglyphs is only half the fun. Figuring out what they mean can consume careers. Today's graffiti artists are mere childish amateurs compared to the Ancients. These guys (gals?) could condense their life story into a couple of striking symbols.Read more