petroglyph
Ancient stone engraving
A petroglyph is an image carved or incised into rock, typically by prehistoric peoples.
These rock carvings are found worldwide and often depict animals, human figures, geometric patterns, or symbols whose meanings may be lost to time.
Unlike pictographs, which are painted onto rock surfaces, petroglyphs are created by removing part of the rock itself through pecking, scratching, or grinding.
The canyon walls were covered with petroglyphs left by ancient inhabitants.
Edged carving implement
- engraveCarve designs permanently
- etchIncise a surface
- inscribeCarve letters into surface
- inciseCut into material
pecking · abrading · granite · sandstone · basalt · boulder · rockface · limestone
Study of physical remnants
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- antiquityGreat age, ancient era
- excavationAct of unearthing
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
inscription · monument · relic · ruins · neolithic · prehistoric · ancestral · ceremonial
Curve winding around center
- bighornNorth American wild sheep
- handprintMark left by palm
- sunburstRadial ray pattern
- zoomorphArt depicting animal shapes
geometric · abstract · hunting · deer · snake · bird · lizard · thunderbird
Analysis of artistic symbols
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- emblemRepresentational sign or device
- motifRecurring thematic element
- ideogramSymbol representing concept directly
representation · semiotics · symbolism · storytelling · mythology · cosmology · meaning · interpretation
chisel
Edged carving implement
incise · pecking · abrading · granite · sandstone · basalt · boulder · rockface · limestone · groove
archaeology
Study of physical remnants
- artifactHuman-made historical object
- antiquityGreat age, ancient era
- excavationAct of unearthing
heritage · inscription · monument · relic · ruins · neolithic · prehistoric · ancestral · ceremonial · indigenous
spiral
Curve winding around center
zoomorph · geometric · abstract · hunting · deer · snake · bird · lizard · thunderbird · maze
iconography
Analysis of artistic symbols
ideogram · representation · semiotics · symbolism · storytelling · mythology · cosmology · meaning · interpretation · spiritual
canyon
Deep river-cut gorge
- prehistorystone tools, Neolithic, Stone Age, caveman, cavemen
- ancient communicationsmoke signal, hieroglyphs, carrier pigeon, pictographs, pictograms
- carvingcarve, carved, whittle, whittled, chisel
- historic sitesruins, historic site, basilica, monument, fortress
- Southwestmesa, Monument Valley, Arizona, New Mexico, Grand Canyon
- Southwest Desertsaguaro, saguaro cactus, Sonoran Desert, Sonoran, prickly pear
- ancient petroglyphsImages etched into rock long ago