ancient petroglyphs
Prehistoric rock art
Ancient petroglyphs are rock carvings made by prehistoric or early historic peoples, typically created by pecking, scratching, or incising designs into stone surfaces.
The phrase emphasizes age and mystery—these images of animals, humans, and abstract symbols predate written records: We hiked to see the ancient petroglyphs in the canyon.
Often found at sacred or significant sites worldwide.
- cavesNatural underground chambers
- canyon wallsSteep sides of gorges
- chiselingCutting with edged tool
- motifsRecurring thematic elements
- peckingJabbing with beak
ritual · celestial symbols · conservation · abrading · mesas · storytelling · heritage · hand prints · spiral patterns · cliffs · mythology · folklore · ancestral stories · documentation · shamanism · deserts · sacred sites · archaeology
ancient petroglyphspainted murals
Large artwork on walls
cave paintings · pictographs · rock paintings · frescoes · ancient frescoes
ancient, ancients, anciently, ancientness, petroglyph, glyph, glyphs, glyphic, hieroglyph