“Underworld Guardians”

The origin of this wonderful site is the belief in spirits, and these beliefs are what prompted ancient shamans to select petroglyph sites with care. For the magic to work, a spiritual essence needed to be present within the rocks and around each site. Many rock art sites were chosen for the natural shapes within the rocks.

Formations and anomalies such as cracks, crevices, and holes in the rock surface inspired the creation of certain symbols and shapes. These natural rock formations were seen by shamans as doorways to the spirit world. Even after hundreds of years exposed to the elements, the magic of these wonderful petroglyphs still survive. Bridging the fractures in the rock and managing to evade the damaging effects of lichen, these images still glow with a supernatural presence in the light of the day’s sun as well as the evening’s lunar light. The waning light gives these images an unearthly luminosity. As I watch their ancient lines fade from my vision, I recall the words a Native American said to me as I struggled to see all the petroglyphs before me. “You can only see what the spirits allow you to see…at certain times one symbol is visible while another sacred image remains unseen. As the sun makes its journey across the sky, and the moon rises to cast its magical glow upon the rock…only then will other images be revealed.”

This sacred place is a doorway to the underworld.  A trio of highly decorated figures seem to drift from the cracks in the rocks, floating unbound by any earthly means. These reverently etched figures represent returning shamans, the guardians of the underworld. This place has many underworld images etched within its past. The snake is a symbol of rebirth as it sheds its skin and the centipede often represents a ladder of ascension.  The frog is also a symbol of water and life from the underworld. The badger and sacred Datura plant are also etched within the shadows of this place. While the Datura helps a shaman to converse with the spirits, the badger’s healing magic is important to the healers of the tribe. Among all of these wonderful images are the handprints of an ancient shaman, placed thousands of years ago deep within the shadows of this doorway. These handprints create a lasting and personal prayer to the spirits of the underworld.