I've only recently begun to be fascinated by the ancient American artifacts that abound in the deserts of Utah. There is a treasure trove of art and artifacts left behind--all of it many hundreds of years old, some of it perhaps thousands of years old. Below are a few samples of some of my favorite sites of those I've visited. It is distressing, to say the least, when evidence of modern vandalism is seen on these beautiful artifacts.
Image 1: Saint George Petroglyphs I
Image 2: Saint George Petroglyphs II
Image 3: Saint George Petroglyphs III
Image 4: The All-American Man
Image 5: Peek-a-boo Arch With Pictographs
Image 6: Newspaper Rock
Image 7: Newspaper Rock Detail
Image 8: Four Faces Ruins
Image 9: Four Faces
Image 10: Petroglyphs Near Wolfe Ranch
Image 11: Salt Creek Pictographs
Image 12: Salt Creek Ruins
Image 13: Tools and Corn Cobs
Image 14: Pottery Shards
Sadly, anything bigger than a couple of inches across has long since been looted.
Image 15: Granary and Living Gourd Garden
The plants growing on the left side are gourds that have reseeded themselves for probably the last 800 years or more. This amazingly fragile yet robust reminder of the people who once lived here was astonishing to behold, to say the least.
Image 16: Grinding Bowl in Clay
Image 17: Pictographs
Image 18: Big Ruin
Image 19: Cliff-side Condos
Image 20: Decaying Pictographs
Image 21: Long Panel With Lichen
Image 22: Zion Canyon Petroglyphs 1 - Sun and Snake
Image 23: Zion Canyon Petroglyphs 2 - Parade of Backpackers
Image 24: Zion Canyon Petroglyphs 3 - Party Time
Image 25: Zion Canyon Petroglyphs 4
Image 26: Zion Canyon Petroglyphs 5
Image 27: Horse Collar Ruins Group 1
Image 28: Horse Collar Ruins Group 2
Image 29: Horse Collar Ruins Group 3
Image 30: Family Album Pictographs
