See Remote Arizona Strip Canyon With One Of The Largest Collections of Ancient Petroglyphs
One of the largest collections of petroglyphs was chipped into the rock in a place called Nampaweap Canyon on the Arizona Strip. This is not a place you should visit on a whim as it is far from any services and hours from medical services or a tire shop.
Nampaweap Canyon: A Journey Through Lava-formed Landscapes
This is in an area where lava flowed in the distant past. This basalt rock left a kind of canyon where the rock broke and fractured leaving chunks of rock below the cliffs. Different people who crossed the area left their stories in the rock as they passed.
An interesting interpretation of some of these writings on the rock comes from a man who was raised by Paiutes who learned the language. His name was LeVan Martineau and he has passed away but left his writings in a book.
Decoding Petroglyphs: Symbols of Their Journeys
He says when you see a sheep looking animal it indicates the direction the people were traveling at the time. The horns on the head tell you how the journey went. If there is open space between, things were uneventful.
If the horns are hard and filled in, the journey was hard. Petroglyphs nearby will further explain why the journey was difficult and how many were hurt or died during the trip. You can find his book in the St. George Library.
Nampaweap is a Paiute word for "foot canyon". There are thousands of some of unique petroglyphs in the rocks that stretch for miles. The area is managed by the BLM and is protected under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.
Read More: Forgotten Stairs That Climbed the Bluff Before Dragon Stairs
If you decide to visit this area, plan to take water and a spare tire or two. There are rattlesnakes in the rocks as well, so be cautious. And always respect the site. Do not climb on the rocks and stay on established trails.
