The History of Petroglyphs

When we think about technology, we often think about the newest and most revolutionary robotics and manufacturing. However, it hasn’t always been this way. One of the earliest forms of technology to date is petroglyphs. Petroglyphs are rock carvings that are shown to represent something. They were found to be dated back somewhere between 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the neolithic and late upper paleolithic boundaries. Petroglyphs may not be a form of technology we use nowadays, but it was a vital part of our history and we must preserve it both mentally and physically. 

For a little more understanding, petroglyphs come from the Greek words petro meaning “stone” and glyphein meaning “to carve”. Petroglyphs have been found all over the world and help us to understand the events that happened way before our time. Petroglyphs
are rock carvings that use tools such as a stone chisel and a hammerstone to carve or peck into rocks. The most common surface are rocks coated with patina, a dark mineral that is found on the surface, so they can reveal the lighter color inside of the rock, making it easier to read. Petroglyphs were used as maps and possibly even astronomical markers. Throughout North America, the most petroglyphs found were in the southwest of the country in what are now National Parks such as Arches National Park and Death Valley National Park. Additionally, The National Monument in Albuquerque, New Mexico has found a total of over 25,000 petroglyphs on a 17-mile stretch. Around 90% of these inscriptions have been dated back to the Puebloan period, some even back to 2000 B.C. Petroglyphs have been found all over the world and are still being discovered today. They are a huge part of our history and our start to a new way of communication.

    Technology today is much more complicated and involved than it used to be thousands of years ago. Petroglyphs started our way of communication and are still relevant today. The oldest petroglyph in North America that we have found to this day is the Spanish ship, San Salvador, found in San Diego. It is said to be one of the oldest graphic images of a recorded event throughout history in the United States. This petroglyph was made in 1542 when the Spanish explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, discovered what is now San Diego in California. The San Salvador was the first ship from Europe to sail the coast of California. The petroglyph displays an image of the ship on a large boulder that captures the story of the event. Another famous North American petroglyph is right here in North Carolina. It is know as the Judaculla Rock in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is said to have 1,548 carvings on one singular boulder and the Cherokees tie it into the Tsu’kalu legend. There's more about the story in the Smithsonian Magazine. Back then, we didn’t have the same technology we have today. It was important that the history was documented, even if that meant writing on a rock. It helped archeologists and people alike understand what happened there a long time ago.

    I’m not a history fanatic, to say the least. I was never someone to retain anything from my previous history classes and still remember it to this day. Petroglyphs were certainly not something I ever remembered learning. I didn’t remember the name, at least, but I knew that rock carving was a thing. What is important about them now since technology has advanced to new lengths? Well, these petroglyphs are stories in history. Ask any history professor why learning history is relevant when we have evolved so much. Petroglyphs are a part of the story. They exist to represent so many stories that we weren’t there to experience. While they aren’t necessarily very important to me today, they are important to others. They are important to those who worship them and to the Native Americans who value them as holy sites. Everyone who truly examines these petroglyphs believes that they were put there for a reason. It is said that they represent the phrase, “those who came before”. These petroglyphs value an emotional story that is unknown to us, we are only aware of the facts and the physical evidence that these inscriptions show. They are made to give us a small glimpse into the past and realize the impact that those from before felt and all they went through to get us to where we are today. 

    Like most Generation Z kids, I spend my time on my phone watching Netflix, scrolling through Instagram, or texting back my friends on Snapchat. We young adults live in a new world that most older generations never dreamed of. If I could go back in time and change how I lived today, I would. My experience with any kind of “rock art” is little to none. The most I have done was paint rocks in my driveway when I was in elementary school and my dad was working on his Jeep in the barn. That is nothing compared to what people 10,000 years ago did in order to communicate. We are so advanced in our technology that petroglyphs are not as common as they used to be. They don’t have a purpose for us now, but what was written thousands of years ago do to this day. We value these forms of what we now consider art and try our best to preserve what is left.