Legend Rock - Hot Springs Country State Historic Site
Entry gate to Legend Rock Petroglyphs: Don't forget to get the key at the Chamber of Commerce before driving the 28 miles (or you may have to walk the last 1/2 mile).
State Park Office: (307) 864-2176
Directions
- Locked Entry Gate - This is the padlocked gate. If you want to drive the last half mile, you will need a key. You can get the key at the Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce office or at The State Bath House. The parking lot and bathrooms are about a half mile from this gate. As you go down this road to the parking area, you will be on top of the cliffs where the Petroglyphs are located. Once you get to the parking area you can walk back, to your right, below the road to locate the beginning of the petroglyphs. There is a metal pole and sign marking the approximate start of the figures.
About Legend Rock Site
Prehistoric rock art is basically still a mystery to all who see it. The field of rock art study has been dominated by non-scientists. Solidly researched books and papers written by qualified archaeological researchers well-versed in scientific analytical methods are rare.
Part of the problem is that the rock art cannot be dated unless the petroglyph goes below the surface and there is a charcoal layer, which can be dated, covering the bottom part of the rock art. There are some very interesting scientific dating techniques being worked on by archaeologists at this time. This is very exciting and more scientists are taking a hard look at what can be learned by studying rock art.
In The Past
Migration patterns and cultural areas of specific groups of Native Americans could be learned by comparing styles. The problem at the Legend Rock Site is that there are at least three styles; some styles are unique to this site, and one is more closely related to early Hopi and the Southwest.
Everyone always wants to know how to interpret the rock art. Determining the precise meaning of specific figures will probably never be known. However, it is still possible to assign some general meaning to some figures.
It is Hard to Conceive
that the producer of the rock expended so much time and energy in their creation without some purpose. When you talk to Native American Elders, they all agree that they are "writings" and can be interpreted. However, if you ask specific elders, they all have their own interpretations. The only thing they all agree on is that the rock art is sacred.
Rock art can provide many clues and inferences useful in the study of such cultural facets as religious beliefs and practices, agricultural development, which animals were hunted, clothing, hairstyles, jewelry worn, weapons development, and even astronomical knowledge.
Base of Cliffs
The Petroglyphs are located along the base of the cliffs in this photo. You still have to go about 100 yards from this point to where they become very obvious. Once you locate the metal post and sign you can hike along the base of the cliffs for photos and observations.
The Bird Petroglyph
This style is very common in Wyoming rock art. It is found throughout the state. In some books on the subject, this style is called a "Ghost Dance" style bird. The Ghost Dance era was 1890-1892. At this time, archaeologists believe these are much older.
Animals
in rock art are often visual metaphorical statements on basic principles (myth and the power of totems) operative in the phenomenal world. It is thought that this site has at least three styles of petroglyphs. Some are unique to this site.
- The Buffalo in Native American teachings is perhaps the most sacred of all animals. Buffalo were the major source of sustenance for Plains Indians. White Buffalo Calf Woman brought the sacred pipe to the Plains Indians and taught them to pray.
- The Elk in Native American beliefs stands for "stamina". Elk medicine teaches that pacing yourself will increase your stamina. Elk medicine people have a specific time they honor the company of their own gender. Elk are often shown in groups or pairs in rock art.
- The Rabbit petroglyph is in the style of depictions painted in Mimbres Mortuary ceramic ware (900-100 A.D.). The Mimbres cultural area is in New Mexico. This is the only rabbit in the State Inventory of Wyoming rock art.
Paul Moss, an Arapaho elder, calls the turtle glyph the "Creation Panel". According to Moss, any time a turtle glyph is part of a rock panel, it denotes creation. It was the turtle that dove down to the bottom of the ocean and brought up mud on his back to form the continents. In Native American teachings, the turtle is the oldest symbol for the planet Earth. This panel also has a lizard. According to Moss, the lizard depicts the Arapaho living in a dry area. In Native American teaching, a lizard is a symbol for dreaming and the vision quest. All levels of awareness are accessible through dreams, but life is not always as it seems. Are you the dreamer, or are you the dream?
Zoomorphs
When a rock art figure resembles an animal but it is not easily identified, it is called a "zoomorph". There is obviously a different graphic concept gap between the modern adult and prehistoric rock art craftsman. Identification of actual rock art is, in many cases, like cloud watching. No two people will see the same shapes in the same cloud mass.
Connecting Lines
When you look at this petroglyph, the first thing you will notice is that the two shapes are connected by a line. Figures connected by lines are very common in rock art. In this picture, it looks like a leash. Perhaps the leash, in a metaphysical sense, may connotate a connection between the physical and the spiritual realms.
Moss calls this figure "The Family of Man". He says it depicts the first family after the world was created. Composite style compositions consisting of multiple human-like figures merged together in various combinations are also very common in Wyoming rock art.
Anthropomorph
The "anthropomorph", which was buried beneath the surface, was excavated during the summer of 1988 by Wyoming State Archaeologists. There were three charcoal layers they dug through that were used for dating purposes. The deepest (oldest) charcoal layer over the bottom part of the figure was dated at 2000 years. This date was much older than had been anticipated.
There are numerous hand prints in the state's rock art inventory. Some are incised, carved, pecked, engraved, and some are even stenciled. It is a possibility that these hand prints were used as a signature, identifying the artist of the rock art in the area. The hand print at Legend Rock is pecked.
Petroglyphs
Petroglyph Styles - One of the styles located here is thought to be early Hopi. The other two are Zuni and Peruvian.
Petroglyph Meanings - The interpretation of the drawings and their meanings will vary, depending upon who is offering their opinion, even the Indian Elders.
For those of us who wander in from the 20th century, and from other cultural backgrounds, these images communicate something of the importance or power these sites had for earlier people. Please be comfortable with not knowing the precise meanings, and enjoy the images for what they may invoke in you.
Acknowledgments
Information provided was written by Michele Lester ,
Wyoming Pioneer Home Activity Director (Nov 1979 - June 1990).
Information was obtained from her many years of viewing, recording,
photographing and studying rock art.
Paul Moss, an Arapaho Elder also provided valuable information which was incorporated into the narrative by Lester. Without his input, important information would not have been readily obtained.
Additional Resources