You’ve reached stop 2 along the Petroglyph Viewing Trail in Piedras Marcadas Canyon. You have hiked.34 miles, or.55 kilometers.
Most of these petroglyphs were made by the ancestors of today’s Pueblo peoples. The Ancestral Puebloans used hand-held stone tools to remove the desert varnish, exposing the lighter color of the basalt’s interior. After centuries of weathering, older petroglyphs began oxidizing and this darkening confirms their authenticity and great age.
Archeologists refer to these images as being made in the Rio Grande style. This style developed rather suddenly around the year 1300, coinciding with a dramatic increase in the local population and the construction of many pueblo villages along the Rio Grande River. Elements frequently seen in Rio Grande style images include human figures, animals, and geometric designs.
Why were these petroglyphs made? Continue 500 yards to Stop 3 to hear more.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service