Petroglyph

Petroglyph on Petroglyph Point.

A petroglyph is an image recorded on stone, usually by prehistoric peoples, by means of carving, pecking or otherwise incised on natural rock surfaces. They are commonly associated with Neolithic people, and were a dominant form or pre-writing symbols used in communication from approximately 10,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C.

The word comes from the Greek words petros meaning "stone" and glyphein meaning "to carve" (it was originally coined in French as pétroglyphe). These images may have had deep cultural and religious significance for the societies that created them.

The term 'petroglyph' should not be confused with either the term "pictograph" - a more advanced symbol type, which uses the images to tells the chronological story spanning through time - nor with cave painting.

The difference between cave painting and petroglyphs is twofold: first, petroglyphs are carved or engraved, while cave paintings refer to the images painted on stone. Second, petroglyphs are more evolved symbols compared to the cave paintings, showing specific events more clearly.

Petroglyph External Links

Rock Art Gallery: pictographs & petroglyphs
To promote appreciation for prehistoric Native American pictographs and petroglyphs. We believe these ancient sites should be protected from destruction and should be appreciated for the beautiful prehistoric art they represent.

The stylistically Paleolithic petroglyphs of the Côa valley (Portugal) are of Paleolithic age
The controversy regarding the Côa valley petroglyphs began in November 1994, when their existence was made public. Rock art experts and prehistorians from Portugal and all over the world immediately recognized them to be of Paleolithic style and, therefore, of Paleolithic age.

Petroglyphs : Rock Art
A Petroglyph is an image recorded on stone, usually by prehistoric peoples, by means of carving, pecking or otherwise incised on natural rock surfaces.

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site
The Three Rivers Petroglyphs Site is one of the few locations in the Southwest set aside solely because of its rock art. It is also one of the few sites giving visitors such direct access to petroglyphs.

Petroglyphs San Rafael Swell
The Petroglyphs of the San Rafael Swell are incredible. They are very well preserved, perhaps in part to the remoteness of the area.

Petroglyph / Rock Art Sites in Clark County, Nevada
Rock art in southern Nevada goes back to the Anasazi (approximately 1250 AD) and possibly even earlier. In this area we are fortunate enough to also see what was left by the Paiute, Shoshone, Chemehuevi, as well as the Anasazi cultures.

Rock Art Investigations
To establish that the two types of anthropic depressions occurring around Ovalle (Chile) are indeed two completely different cultural manifestations.

Northumberland Rock Art
The celebration of rock carvings made by Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people in Northumberland in the north east of England, between 6000 and 3500 years ago.

ERA Graphics: Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs are symbols picked in rock and found around the world. Most of the images on these pages were adapted from sketches I made on the San Juan River in Utah.

The Pipestone Petroglyphs by Thomas D. Thiessen
Pipestone National Monument, bordering the town of Pipestone in southwestern Minnesota, preserves and interprets the historic catlinite quarries which, for hundreds of years, served as the source of a soft red claystone that Native Americans carved into pipes and other objects.

Etched in stone
Petroglyphs telling rich stories about the life of ancient Indian tribes are threatened by Las Vegas, which keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Petroglyphs in Koryong
Koryong, mysterious ancient village, was probably a main city of the federate nation Karakuk (Great Kaya ; A.D. 42 ~ 562). There are row of ancient turf mounds (Tumuli) along the hill behind the village.

Resources:

Petroglyph National Monument - There are some 16,000 individual petroglyphs at the appropriately named Petroglyph National Monument, lightly carved in black volcanic rock. It may be the highest concentration of petroglyphs anywhere in the US.

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