Virgin River Gorge Petroglyphs: da Vinci Panel
Leonardo da Vinci, genius as he was, probably never dreamed that rock carvings in a distant land would be named after his Vitruvian Man drawing. But in the Virgin River Gorge, just into Arizona at Utah's border, a figure with legs and arms spread, connected to a surrounding circle is pecked into a sandstone slab that looks like a giant tablet leaning against a cliff. We went on this petroglyph-finding mission with our friends Mish and Liz. It was a challenge to find these petroglyphs, as there is no official path and very few cairns to mark the trail. If you look at our GPS tracks, we initially went too high above the sandstone shelves where the petroglyphs are, so we had to descend a pretty steep and loose hillside back down toward the Virgin River. Fred found the huge boulder with tons of petroglyphs that face away from the river. One of the directions from another website was "you don't have to go down to the river," so we overcompensated and went too far away from the river! I found the da Vinci panel only 350' away from big boulder petroglyphs, along a slightly lower shelf of rock to the south. It might be a bit of a stretch to think of the Vitruvian Man when you see this petroglyph, but there could be more similarities between these two works of art than what meets the eye. They both seem to convey man's relationship to something larger than himself. Leonardo da Vinci, in his famous Vitruvian Man drawing, meant to convey not only ideal human proportions in relationship to the perfect forms of a square and a circle, but also "humanism," a Renaissance idea that man is the center of the universe, with his body, mind, and soul. The Vitruvian Man was made to represent reaching our goals with our brains and values. Man was in control, valued and contributed to society's success. Native Americans' use of closed lines resembling a circle oftentimes meant "completeness." One source I read about rock writings stated that circles, not lines represented their world view. Maybe this unusual petroglyph is conveying man's importance in the universe - his soul and his being. The circle emphasizes this figure. Upraised arms can also mean a praying person, symbolic of worship. This figure may be an important, holy man. In Patterson's book (see references below), an interpreter of a similar figure states, "He keeps good thoughts and is on guard against evil." It looks like, to me, two depictions of the sun around it. These photo excursions with Mish are fun, combining art, exercise, the technology of photography, and making images in a land with so many beautiful features. MishMoments.com showcases his spectacular photography. One afternoon, in Warner Valley southeast of St. George, we found the Red Man Pictograph as the sun was setting (see section below). |
Categories
Petroglyphs/Pictographs Southern Utah Hikes California Desert Hikes Nevada Hikes Arizona Hikes Idaho Hikes Related
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Exploration documentaries – "explorumentaries" list trip stats and highlights of each hike or bike ride, and add interesting history or geology. Years ago, I wrote these for friends and family to let them know what my husband, Fred and I were up to on weekends, and also to showcase the incredible land of the west. |
Rock Art Similarities
Clockwise from top left: "Vitruvian Man" petroglyph, Leonardo daVinci's Vitruvian Man, petroglyph at Fremont Indian State Park, Utah, Red Man pictograph near Washington, Utah.
Clockwise from top left: "Vitruvian Man" petroglyph, Leonardo daVinci's Vitruvian Man, petroglyph at Fremont Indian State Park, Utah, Red Man pictograph near Washington, Utah.
This leaning slab of rock has been nicknamed "da Vinci Panel" because of this unusual petroglyph that resembles his Vitruvian Man drawing.
Hike Summary Virgin River Gorge Petroglyphs
(note: part of this description is the route we took on our return trip) - crawl under a barbed wire fence after parking. The trail goes along the fence line to your right until you get over a hill and can see valley, a few hundred yards. - you can see a trail that heads due north toward the flat shelves of cliffs to the right. The petroglyphs are behind these. - you reach what looks like a wide road on your right, just under the low cliffs to your right, under the long cap of rock. - take a right and head south toward the interstate and the Virgin River and pass a two-tone sandstone boulder to loop around the backside of the low cliffs. - the petroglyphs are parallel to the river on a rock shelf above it. If you go this way, you run into the "da Vinci" panel first. - the huge boulder with petroglyphs is ~ 350' northeast of this panel, at a slightly higher elevation on the shelf above. Considerations: you must be familiar with maps and direction. I recommend using GPS or app that records your tracks. Scroll down for coordinates. |
Heading north on well-defined path which goes toward the flat red cliffs on the right.
Looking back (south) at Mish, Liz and Fred coming up the trail. Interstate 15 upper left.
There's a path going along the base of this rock to the right that leads toward the Virgin River and wraps around the back of this rock.
Path leading to the orange cliffs on the right with the rounded top. We came back along the base of these cliffs to the right.
On our way back from the petroglyphs: Mish and Liz coming around the rocks - note the two-toned boulder.
These images show how close the petroglyphs are to the Virgin River.
On the left, the petroglyphs are around this corner on a shelf above the river. The right shot shows petroglyphs in relation to the river.
On the left, the petroglyphs are around this corner on a shelf above the river. The right shot shows petroglyphs in relation to the river.
Mish and Liz at the "da Vinci panel." I photographed this while on my way from the big boulder petroglyphs.
Trip Stats for "da Vinci Panel" and Virgin River Gorge Petroglyphs
Location: Eastern edge of Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness (BLM), northwest corner of Arizona.
Hike distance: 1.6 miles out and back.
Coordinates:
Parking along Interstate 15: 36.970572, -113.735169 (36°58'14.1"N 113°44'06.6"W)
Da Vinci Panel = 36.974271, -113.728174 (36°58'27.4"N 113°43'41.4"W)
Large Boulder = 36.975050, -113.727725 (36°58'30.2"N 113°43'39.8"W)
Driving directions: On Interstate 15 south of St. George, Utah, travel ~ 7 miles after crossing Utah/Arizona border to a parking pull-out on the right, just after crossing bridge over the Virgin River.
History: Both of these hikes are on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. This trading route utilized the Virgin River Gorge and Fort Pearce Wash as part of its 2,700-mile trail through the southwest.
Location: Eastern edge of Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness (BLM), northwest corner of Arizona.
Hike distance: 1.6 miles out and back.
Coordinates:
Parking along Interstate 15: 36.970572, -113.735169 (36°58'14.1"N 113°44'06.6"W)
Da Vinci Panel = 36.974271, -113.728174 (36°58'27.4"N 113°43'41.4"W)
Large Boulder = 36.975050, -113.727725 (36°58'30.2"N 113°43'39.8"W)
Driving directions: On Interstate 15 south of St. George, Utah, travel ~ 7 miles after crossing Utah/Arizona border to a parking pull-out on the right, just after crossing bridge over the Virgin River.
History: Both of these hikes are on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. This trading route utilized the Virgin River Gorge and Fort Pearce Wash as part of its 2,700-mile trail through the southwest.
Trip Stats for Red Man Pictograph
Location: Fort Pearce Historic Site (BLM), in Warner Valley, Utah near Arizona border.
Hike distance: 2.4 miles out and back
Coordinates:
Parking and Fort Pearce ruins at trailhead: 37.007571, -113.411857 (37°00'27.3" N 113°24'42.7" W)
Red Man Pictograph: 37.006735, -113.429947 (37°00'24.3"N 113°25'47.8"W)
Fun Fact: Recent studies show pictograph paint was made with bacteria from aquatic iron microbial mats.
Location: Fort Pearce Historic Site (BLM), in Warner Valley, Utah near Arizona border.
Hike distance: 2.4 miles out and back
Coordinates:
Parking and Fort Pearce ruins at trailhead: 37.007571, -113.411857 (37°00'27.3" N 113°24'42.7" W)
Red Man Pictograph: 37.006735, -113.429947 (37°00'24.3"N 113°25'47.8"W)
Fun Fact: Recent studies show pictograph paint was made with bacteria from aquatic iron microbial mats.
Our GPS tracks (yellow) at Virgin R. Gorge petroglyphs
Flag along I-15 marks parking Two flags upper right mark petroglyph sites. The lower route along the river is the proper track to the petroglyphs, not the upper track. click on photo for larger image |
Our GPS tracks (blue) at Fort Pearce Wash
White flag marks Fort Pearce Ruins and parking Red flag marks Red Man Pictograph click on photo for larger image |
Large boulder ~ 350' northeast of the da Vinci panel.
Cool Stuff on the Trail: Chert nodules in limestone (left) and rock on the trail (right).
Red Man Pictograph
The hike from Fort Pearce ruins to the Red Man Pictograph is ~ 1.2 miles, following Fort Pearce Wash west. After passing a leaning boulder pecked with Great Basin Curvilinear petroglyphs, the trail tunnels through a tamarisk thicket near the wash. This is near the Sand Mountain Open OHV area, so side-by-sides and motorbikes abound nearby.
Hidden and protected in a large alcove is the Red Man pictograph facing east over Fort Pearce Wash. The side trail leading to it is easy to miss and you can't see Red Man until you get closer to the rim of cliffs on your right. In the sandstone cliffs above the wash is a large square portion of the cliffs, that contrasts with the more columnar formations. That is where Red Man resides. It's about 4 feet tall. It's a fun climb through huge boulders to this cliff face.
Beyond My Couch website has a good description of this hike. Our GPS tracks for Red Man.
Hidden and protected in a large alcove is the Red Man pictograph facing east over Fort Pearce Wash. The side trail leading to it is easy to miss and you can't see Red Man until you get closer to the rim of cliffs on your right. In the sandstone cliffs above the wash is a large square portion of the cliffs, that contrasts with the more columnar formations. That is where Red Man resides. It's about 4 feet tall. It's a fun climb through huge boulders to this cliff face.
Beyond My Couch website has a good description of this hike. Our GPS tracks for Red Man.
Possibly Great Basin Curvilinear Style petroglyphs. The connected circles in a chain is characteristic of this style.
These necklace-looking petroglyphs also appear on the "rattlesnake" rock over the Santa Clara River in southwest Utah.
In Search of the Rattlesnake Petroglyph
These necklace-looking petroglyphs also appear on the "rattlesnake" rock over the Santa Clara River in southwest Utah.
In Search of the Rattlesnake Petroglyph
The "rattlesnake" petroglyph - as some have interpreted it - over the Santa Clara River near Land Hill.
How Red Pictograph Paint was Made
Recent studies reveal how pictographs across the southwest were made. Scientists analyzed some pictograph paint pigment with electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction and found that the pigment was made of the bacterium Leptothrix ochracea that was heated. This was a "sophisticated" processing of iron oxide produced by this bacteria. Microbial iron mats made mostly of iron oxidizing bacteria were harvested from water, then heated in large hearths where the temperature could be controlled at between 750° C to 850° C (1,300° F - 1,560° F). This process ensured colorfastness and resistance to degradation (Brandi MacDonald in article by Pool, below).
What's great about these studies is we now know how technically innovative Native Americans were. They figured out how to make thermostable and long-lasting paint, something today's engineers in the aerospace industry are working on!
Sources on rock art studies identify a characteristic style made by the Virgin division of the Puebloan peoples that is located in the area north of the Grand Canyon near the Arizona Strip and southern Utah. One study found Basketmaker rock art in the Virgin Anasazi areas, and that probably ancient ones traveled along the base of Vermillion Cliffs in southern Utah, east and west. The route would have followed springs that penetrate the drainages of Vermillion Cliffs near present-day Kanab, Hildale, and Pipe Springs, where prehistoric habitation sites have been found. Migration and movement might explain why, in western Utah, there are rock art styles normally attributed to those in eastern Utah.
The form of Red Man, above reminds me of the Fremont-style anthropomorphs with the broad shoulders and trapezoidal body.
The American Southwest is an exceptional, spiritual place. Communications from the people who lived here for hundreds of years before us are scattered throughout, in alcoves, on boulders and along rivers and washes. Communications to each other and to spirits in the form of designs pecked and painted. I can't help but imagine how many Native Americans saw the Virgin River petroglyphs and the Red Man pictograph and what they thought about them.
Although the "da Vinci" panel petroglyphs are near noisy Interstate 15 and the Red Man is in near an OHV area, you can still unplug from today's continuous communication for awhile and reflect on the ancient ones' communication, imagine their relationship to the land before you, and breathe in that desert air.
Recent studies reveal how pictographs across the southwest were made. Scientists analyzed some pictograph paint pigment with electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction and found that the pigment was made of the bacterium Leptothrix ochracea that was heated. This was a "sophisticated" processing of iron oxide produced by this bacteria. Microbial iron mats made mostly of iron oxidizing bacteria were harvested from water, then heated in large hearths where the temperature could be controlled at between 750° C to 850° C (1,300° F - 1,560° F). This process ensured colorfastness and resistance to degradation (Brandi MacDonald in article by Pool, below).
What's great about these studies is we now know how technically innovative Native Americans were. They figured out how to make thermostable and long-lasting paint, something today's engineers in the aerospace industry are working on!
Sources on rock art studies identify a characteristic style made by the Virgin division of the Puebloan peoples that is located in the area north of the Grand Canyon near the Arizona Strip and southern Utah. One study found Basketmaker rock art in the Virgin Anasazi areas, and that probably ancient ones traveled along the base of Vermillion Cliffs in southern Utah, east and west. The route would have followed springs that penetrate the drainages of Vermillion Cliffs near present-day Kanab, Hildale, and Pipe Springs, where prehistoric habitation sites have been found. Migration and movement might explain why, in western Utah, there are rock art styles normally attributed to those in eastern Utah.
The form of Red Man, above reminds me of the Fremont-style anthropomorphs with the broad shoulders and trapezoidal body.
The American Southwest is an exceptional, spiritual place. Communications from the people who lived here for hundreds of years before us are scattered throughout, in alcoves, on boulders and along rivers and washes. Communications to each other and to spirits in the form of designs pecked and painted. I can't help but imagine how many Native Americans saw the Virgin River petroglyphs and the Red Man pictograph and what they thought about them.
Although the "da Vinci" panel petroglyphs are near noisy Interstate 15 and the Red Man is in near an OHV area, you can still unplug from today's continuous communication for awhile and reflect on the ancient ones' communication, imagine their relationship to the land before you, and breathe in that desert air.
References
Leonardo Da Vinci: Life and Artworks. https://www.leonardodavinci.net/
Why is the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci so Important? Exploring Art with Alessandro (You Tube).
Doty, T. Guide to Native Rock Writings. 2020. www.DotyCoyote.com
Patterson, A. 1992. A Field Guide to Rock Art Symbols of the Greater Southwest.
Pool, R. 2019. How Vivid-Red Rock Art Paint was Created. Wiley Analytical Science website.
Leonardo Da Vinci: Life and Artworks. https://www.leonardodavinci.net/
Why is the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci so Important? Exploring Art with Alessandro (You Tube).
Doty, T. Guide to Native Rock Writings. 2020. www.DotyCoyote.com
Patterson, A. 1992. A Field Guide to Rock Art Symbols of the Greater Southwest.
Pool, R. 2019. How Vivid-Red Rock Art Paint was Created. Wiley Analytical Science website.