Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822Mallery, Garrick
History
Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822
Mallery, Garrick
Picture-writing, Indian
The country over which these records are scattered is arid
beyond description and destitute of vegetation. Watterson’s ranch
group is more favorably located, there being an abundance of springs
and a stream running northward toward Black lake.
The only Indians found in this vicinity are Pai Utes, but they
are unacquainted with the significance of the characters, and
declare that they have no knowledge of the authors.
As to the age of the sculpturings nothing can be learned. The
external surface of all the bowlders, as well as the surface of the
deepest figures, is a glistening brownish black, due, possibly, to
the presence of iron. The color of a freshly broken surface becomes
lighter in tint as depth is attained, until at about one-half or
three-fourths of an inch from the surface the rock is chocolate
brown. How long it would take the freshly broken surface of this
variety of rock to become thoroughly oxidized and blackened it
is impossible even to conjecture, taking into consideration the
physical conditions of the region and the almost entire absence of
rainfall.
Upon following the most convenient course across the Benton
range to reach Owen valley proper drawings are also found, though in
limited numbers, and seem to partake of the character of indicators
as to course of travel. By this trail the northernmost of the
several groups of drawings above mentioned is the nearest and most
easily reached.
The pictures upon the bowlders at Watterson’s are somewhat
different from those found elsewhere. The number of specific designs
is limited, many of them being reproduced from two to six or seven
times, thus seeming to partake of the character of personal names.
In a communication dated Saratoga Springs, at the lower part of Death
valley, California, February 5, 1891, Mr. E. W. Nelson says that about
200 yards from the springs, and on the side of a hill, he found several
petroglyphs. He also furnished a sketch as an example of their general
type, now presented as Fig. 18. The locality is in the lower end of
Death valley. Mr. Nelson says:
[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Petroglyphs in Death valley, California.]
The spring here is in a basin some 60 to 80 acres in extent in
which are ponds and tule marsh. Close by is an extensive ancient
Indian camping ground, over which are scattered very many “chips”
made from manufacturing arrow points from quartz crystal, chert,
chalcedony, flint, and other similar material.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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