Death Valley Petroglyphs: "Lithos Canyon"

One of many large panels in the canyon.

Perched in a remote canyon in the high deserts above Death Valley National Park is a stunning remnant of peoples who were here long before us. This is one of the most impressive petroglyph sites I have visited; with the quiet, dark canyon walls backed by the towering granite mountains behind. Entire herds of pecked-in bighorn sheep of the Coso style, and endless anthropomorphs (human-like) and abstract designs, punctuated by spirals and sunbursts. The petroglyphs are peppered with signs of much later life; miner and rancher graffiti also appears in this canyon, and most of it is quite old, though overshadowed by the tremendous age and complexity of these ancient drawings whose meaning will probably never be known for certain.



The Coso people are truly a very ancient people. Their earliest rock art dates back about 12,000 years, and evidence exists for local habitation as far back at 22,000 years. This particular site, however, has designs that predate other Coso designs, and the presence of atlatl symbols, which was a precursor to the bow and arrow, dates some panels to before 200 BCE. Other evidence has shown that this site has been used as far back as 8,000 years; far older than even much of the Renegade Canyon Petroglyphs on China Lake NAWS.

Also of interesting note is that this is the farthest north known site of this style rock art, and that long after the Coso people dissipated the canyon, the site of an old, now dry, spring, the Death Valley tribe, the Timbisha Shoshone, used it until they too dissipated. Most recently, passing ranchers or miners and modern visitors have left their interesting markings alongside those that were most significant to their creators; the musings and symbols of long forgotten, long bygone times.

Advisory: It should be obvious, but Lithos Canyon is not the true name of this site. I will obscure the names and locations of most rock art sites I write about. All I will share for certain is that it is within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park. When you're done here, visit fellow explorer Guy Starbuck's post on this site. Additionally, I was using a new lens that was far too large for most of these photos, so many are blurry and required significant color correction to make them understandable. Now back to business.

The first thing we found was this: JFC, 1916, pecked over top of an older petroglyph.

Five circles of varying ages. Age can be estimated by the amount
of desert varnish

The same panel as the cover photo, showing more
of the extent of the group of petroglyphs.

Complex squiggles

Some of the first bighorn sheep we see

There are many, many more.

These are older. Note the atlatl design below the large rake on left; that dates
these before 200 BCE probably.

No shortage of interesting bighorn designs

Bighorns

This panel extends all the way up the cliff and around the hill.

These designs could be considered curvilinear, meaning "curved lines."

Very old bighorns

Dancing bighorns

B. Miser, 1905; B.M. 1938.
Could these be the same person?

DLC and TCH, 1905

Indian hunting blind set up at a constriction in the canyon. They would
hide behind this and hunt passing creatures, likely bighorn sheep.

Cuples and a mortar, some of the oldest forms of rock art.

Bill Keys, 1895. Keys was a famous Joshua Tree outlaw, rancher, and miner.

Swirles

One of the main panels of glyphs.

Dancing bighorns

Bighorns, rakes, snakes, medicine bags

More of the same panel.

The "Ubehebe Bunch." Nobody seems to know who they were, but most
are from July 4, 1907. One is from Portland, Oregon!

Heavily varnished petroglyphs above the inscriptions.

This huge glyph was probably two meters tall; taller
than me. 

This is above the previous panel; and both are very high above the canyon
bottom. The long horns on these probably indicate this was a highly spiritual
site, as many of the surrounding designs were very abstract.

Found this small panel just on our way out.

This site has been posted publicly, but I disagree with that and feel that these ancient sites deserve more respect and protection than what some people give them. This site is incredible, and if you find it and venture out for it, be sure to treat it with the same respect as those who created it all those centuries ago.