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Buckhorn Wash Pictograph Panel

Rock Art

Of all the enigmatic and important artwork ever created is rock art. In fact some of the oldest art work ever created by anatomically modern humans is rock art found in caves in Indonesia, Spain and France. dating to around 38,000 years ago. Even when we were just merely hunter-gatherers (as common wisdom would have us believe) we were creating some of the most stunning art. Older art carved from stone, wood and ivory is also know dating up to 60,000 years ago.

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It would seem that our most intrinsic human impulse it to create! Through the Shamanic process of externalization we were beginning to express ourselves and in turn understand our place in the Universe. Now this post isn't intended to be a art history lesson, although I strongly intent to delve into prehistoric art with future posts. Rather for now I would love to delve into an experience I personally had with rock art in my own back yard. The Buckhorn Wash Pictograph.

The Buckhorn Wash Pictograph Panel is located within the San Rafael Swell one of the most underrated areas in the National Parks of Utah. The San Rafael Swell. It is this wonderful Dragon spine made of largely of Sandstone that runs 74 miles into the horizon, made of the most beautiful swirling pastel colors of pink and teal, spotted with red and yellow sand. Entering this area of the desert is akin to a mystical experience. I've been known to say that the desert has a certain energy to it. It is still and quiet in nature yet very powerful. It is like a charged crystal that allows one to find not only physical solitude but mental as well. The desert is a wonderful place to be as there is seemingly little life to be seen, allowing the inner life to be revealed. The San Rafael Swell is a gem in the desert with it's own vibes and mystical properties. I love it there.

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The pictograph wall itself is located in Barrier Canyon. The panel is not only painted Pictographs but Petroglyphs carved into the rock.

The style of the Panel is known as Barrier Canyon Style due to it's location. It is believed that this art was created anywhere from 1500 to 4000 years ago! Wow. Talk about language transcending time. The ancients all over the world seemed to know that art and stone were the way to communicate with the peoples of the future.

The images themselves for the most part are pretty Eyre and ominous, seeming to depict what would appear to be angels and strange demonic creatures. Almost alien.

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The rock art is believed to be created by the Barrier Canyon peoples and later the Freemont Peoples. Both a hunter-gather society. The panel spans over 130 feet. A Pictograph is an image painted onto the surface of the rock while a Petroglyph is carved into the rock. The red paint was created with powdered Hematite a reddish black mineral and used as a medium known as Red Ocre. To paint the images the artists most likely used their fingers or brushes from various animal parts. The stone they are painted on is sandstone. When Freshly exposed sandstone has die or minerals painted on it, it absorbs the pigments and can be preserved for thousands of years. Lucky for us. Many animals are depicted on the walls like snakes, goats, and dogs but more prevalent are the Therianthropes (part animal part human). These Humanoid figures give a sense of the mystical. Not of this world. Maybe they were created as part of a shamanic ritual. Who can really know. Although the experts would say it was ceremonial in nature to celebrate or pray for safe travels across a dangerous stretch of land.

My friend Alex and I traveled to the desert on one of our "Photo-adventures" intending to create art in the desert, yet found ourselves in front of an entire wall of ancient art that left us in awe. It is one thing to read about these places and see images of it. But I truly believe to be moved by the art you must be there in the flesh. Standing in front of the images you can't be amazed by the peoples traveling across the land so many thousands of years ago. In a barren land devoid of abundance they stopped to ponder the intrinsic impulses they had. To celebrate the mysteries of life and well mystery itself. If there is one thing that connects all humans it is this desire. To commemorate, celebrate, pray and externalize our inner life. We may never know the true purpose of ancient art, whether it be for ceremony or merely play. But the effect it has on us is still the same. May we all never let this light burn out inside of us.

Until next time Fellow creators,

Arqetype

Sources

https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2017/02/26/the-buckhorn-wash-pictograph/
https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/pre-history/top-10-oldest-art-ever-discovered/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckhorn_Draw_Pictograph_Panel
http://www.sanrafaelcountry.com/san-rafael-swell-buckhorn-wash-rock-art-panel.html

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