Seminole Rock Paintings

The park has rock paintings dating back between 2,000 to 4,000 years. These are only accessible via an official tour due to their historic importance. The ranger tour guide leads us down the steep paths and steps into the canyon.

Our guide is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, pointing out features as we proceed. We walk along the canyon floor that is normally bone dry but, due to the recent excessive rains, has some pools and running water.

She leads us up some steep steps to a long ledge, about two thirds up the canyon face with a large rock overhang. This is where the tribe lived and their rock artists painted. Rubber mats have been placed for visitors to walk in safety but also to protect the floor surface as this is comprised of spoil from limestone rocks used in their cooking ovens. Mixed in with the spoil are artefacts, discarded and mislaid, from that age. The substantial size of the overhang can be judged from the tiny group members in the photo.

The cave or rock designs are, as expected, primitive. These are human figures in a line, arms outstretched. Although science has deduced much about their diet and nomadic movements, we have no insight into their culture, so are unable to understand the significance of the figures’ postures. Their society was probably a lot more sophisticated than we imagine.

Some of the shapes are completely unfathomable. Of course, the group would come to the conclusion that the next object was a tele. Watch those old Flintstone cartoons again for more details on how they really lived.

There are many drawings, all suffering the effects of recent erosion to a greater or lesser extent. But all is not lost as they were all carefully copied in the 1930’s by a commercial artist and his wife when they were in good condition. The guided tour is also there to stop further damage from graffiti and touching. But one item of graffiti got through.

The date is June 1884, when the railway was built that used to run through the park before it was a park. It was re-routed in 1892. However, because of the graffiti’s age, it is now itself protected just like the ancient works.

The ledge houses an old mesquite tree. These are claimed to be almost indestructible. It looks like somebody had a good try.

Looking out from the ledge where they lived is a beautiful view of the canyon; they must have felt secure, and very much at home with their living quarters and rock paintings.

With no written language, there is no way of knowing how these people’s society ran in any detail. They were hunter-gatherers so needed to move seasonally to new hunting and crop areas. Clearly they spent a considerable time in Seminole, which was perhaps their main base. Could they even have run a little campsite for other tribes just passing through?