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Archaeological Treasures
After a short break from our friends, the rubberlegged duo, we met up again with them at Ash Springs in southeastern Nevada. Lincoln County, Nevada promotes its Ancient Rock Art Sites in partnership with the BLM.
Please visit their website here - Explore Rock Art in Eastern Nevada.
They also publish a detailed brochure - Rock Art Guide.
But goodness, I’m already ahead of myself and should cover the evening before our arrival at Ash Springs. We parted with our friends after Gold Butte and made a quick trip back to the house for a scheduled appointment. That obligation met, the Lady put her tub whispering talents to work for that evening before mentioned above. Years and cares melted away with the soothing, healing hot spring waters. The beautiful vistas aided in the magic of our rejuvenation.
We filled both trucks with gas at the station in Ash Springs and made the long drive out to “The Shooting Gallery.”
We took the remainder of the afternoon to begin our search for rock art.
The storied rock is intense here. Most rock art is of hunting scenes and game animals. Also, this site has the most depictions of predators we’ve encountered - wolves, coyotes, lions. The ‘glyphs are of varying age - some are bright and clear and others are very faded - pointing to very long term use of this area.
This panel excited us with its clear depiction of a Pronghorn (speed goat).
Shelter sites, lithic scatter from tool making, and habitation sites abound here. Walk softly, carefully, with deep respect, and keep your eyes searching for the details.
The solitude and quiet overnight worked its magic and we woke anxious to continue our discoveries. At dawn the Lady and I, on our morning coffee walk, climbed the ridgeline on the east side of the main drainage. Along the ridge, we found multiple stacked rocks and pillars placed to mimic hunters and keep game animals away and moving down the drainage.
After breakfast we all explored this side drainage that held shelter and habitation sites.
And many ancient, faded petroglyphs.
We found many very elaborate storied rock panels and attempted to take in all the history and stories represented here.
It was a wonderful wander up to the top of this water carved drainage.
We found pictographs.
DStretch applied.
The many anthropomorphic ‘glyphs were intriguing.
We were near overwhelmed with the amount of rock art all around us.
It rained hard overnight. The wind and rain drumming on the roof lulled us into deep sleep. We packed up the following morning and made the drive back to Ash Springs. Our first stop was the Ash Springs Petroglyph Site. The trail, in poor shape in many places, meanders around a small hill covered with basalt boulders.
We made a stop at the Ash Springs Hot Spring. The place is in disrepair.
I expect this has to do with the recent death of a child from the brain-eating amoeba that occurred here.
Here’s a link to a news story - Child Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba after Visiting Hot Spring.
The single cell amoeba, naegleria fowleri, enters the body through the nose. Warnings are often placed at hot springs about the danger.
If any of us dared to take off all our clothes and slip into this oasis, you can bet your bottom dollar heads did not go underwater. And, if any of us did soak here, last I checked, everyone is still alive. Take these warning seriously. Death is permanent, but preventable in most cases, up until the end.
Our next stop was the Crystal Wash Rock Art Site.
Everyone was still happy and ready to go.
This was another multi-faceted site with rock art and habitation sites with metates and bedrock mortars.
The Lady, as always, seized the high ground.
We continued down the wash a mile or so to the lower site.
Yes, the Lady slid through the “birth canal” before climbing to the top.
By now - even us - we all wanted a break from rock art. We climbed into the trucks for our next destination and a journey into a different kind of history.
Our adventure continues in the upcoming Part Two.
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