Since we have been in Santa Fe one of the things we enjoy doing on Saturdays is going on the Audubon bird walks at the Randall Davey Audubon Center up Canyon Road. This is located in a beautiful setting and the birds are quite interesting. This past Saturday we met a couple that has moved to Santa Fe and seemed to share some of the same interests as us. We set a tentative date to meet and to look at some ancient rock art.
After we served them a nice breakfast at our condo, we set out for our destination in their car. The exact details as to how to reach this place are not given because this is an area that is under designation as a critical area of concern meaning that it should be protected from being defaced, but not enough resources, while still allowing people access to it. One thing I learned from this trip is that you cannot tell where you might find ancient artwork. We traveled down a road and it was homes on one side and a hill on the other. We parked the car and up the hill we went.
One word to anyone looking for rock work or other ancient works----wear good hiking boots. I did not and did manage the hike up and down but it would have been much easier in hiking boots. Also respect private property anywhere you go and respect and leave the archaeological site as you found it.
There was something wonderful about being at this place with an archaeologist---he was able to pinpoint so many things and know what he was looking at. We climbed up the incline and the first thing we saw was evidence of some sort of dwellings. What I say was stacks of rock in a circle that was the outline of the habitation. Then we got to the rock art....
This was something pretty incredible to me. We have seen rock art in various places in our travels around the United States but the diversity and amount of artwork was incredible. According to Vince what we were looking at was late archaic ( which ends in 500 a.d.) were all sorts of figures and shapes and drawings that let your imagination run wild. There were a few that Julie and I felt were from some person that had been near water--we saw lobster, jellyfish. The artwork left you feeling a bit humbled that this woork had existed as long as it had and was available for us to see.
We did see some modern grafiti--from 1934--and from 1978 but that was the only evidence of anyone except the spirits that surely must still be around the area. We did find some evidence of other activity that went on in the area--chipping tools, etc. We left these where we found them because this is an archaaelogical site and remains are important.
A couple of tidbits of knowledge--burned bone sticks to your tongue, and an inch of lichen over some sort on ancient drawing---one inch equals 100 years!
This was an amazing visit and it is hopeful to think that there is care being taken to protect this site for years to come while at the time allowing people access to this area.
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