Last week I explored the petroglyphs near Hayfield Lake at the southern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, then I went home and thought about them. I had a few hunches, so I returned to do some more investigation and test my hypotheses. Here’s one thing I found, a sunrise temple. The best way to show you is by video, so watch this.
In the video some of the petroglyphs were hard to see because of the time of day. Below are some enhanced photos I took at sunset a few days before that are a little better.
Petroglyphs on the female/yoni/breast boulders:
You can click the images below to enlarge them. There were a few more than I’ve featured, but the photography doesn’t really make them as visible as they are to the eye.
Petroglyphs on the male/phallic monolith:
The mountain is across the wash. There was another, that definitely appears to be a ceremonial petroglyph site.
The kind of grinding on the top of the boulder below is not smooth enough to have been used to grind food. Quartz was probably struck against it to create piezoelectric sparks.
Click on any of the images below to enlarge them.
Below is a nice flat plateau above the wash that would have been perfect for habitation.
I had such a great time out there, searching for images, reading the landscape, trying to interpret what was going on there.
Here’s what you look like when you’re doing what you love.
But here’s what you feel like when you’re doing what you love. You know what I mean?
THE ANCIENT SOUTHWEST 