LOTS of petroglyphs

Jornada style faces and masks are usually round with oval eyes.  This one has earrings.

On Friday we went about 40 miles from Alamogora to the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site.  It is managed by the Bueau of Land Management.  There is a modest fee of $5/vehicle for day use.  Tent spots are available for overnight, as well as 2 RV sites with water and electric, and restrooms, picnic sites and a visitor's center (not open today).  

Two dirt/gravel trails can be found near the visitor's center.  One is 2 miles round trip to view the petroglyphs.  The Village Trail is shorter and leads to the prehistoric Village, Jornada Mogollon, inhabited around 200 to 1450 AD.  We spent a lot of time (and could have spent a lot more) on the Petroglyph trail so we didn't get to take the Village Trail.

We have NEVER seen so many petroglyphs at one site.  They claim to have 21,000.  They had 11 marked.    

I kept my eye out for rattlesnakes, particularly because our explorations took us off trail, but saw none.  It was concerning to us that with the freedom to walk anywhere that people may step on the petroglyphs and even touch them.

Pat checked out petroglyphs off the trail.

We found a friend.

The best known Petroglyph at this site. The body of the bighorn sheep is filled with  a Mimbres-style geometric design and is pierced by 3 arrows.

Tularosa Basin

Often animals are quite abstract, but not Jornada-style rock art.  Bighorn sheep are usually depicted realistically.  The legs are bent to show motion. 

Animal tracks, especially mountain lion and bear, are common at Jornada rock art sites.

Bird petroglyphs, symbolic of rain

The circle and dots is common here, but not at other Jornado sites.

Quadruped (4 - legged) images are similar to those found on Mimbres black-on-white pottery.

Seats and a shelter at the end of the Petroglyph trail.

Time constraints prevented us from taking the rest of the trail to the top.

Pretend that you see a partially excavated prehistoric village at the end of the path, that's what I did.😀

On our drive to Roswell we see trees again.

Roadside stop

Krikkit spent our ride this morning with her head tucked under my chair.

We saw this mountain at White Sands National Park on Weds.  Pat thought that was snow on top, but with all the clouds I wasn't convinced.

Same mountain on Thurs.  Not only is there snow, there's more than there was yesterday. 

Same mountain from Three Rivers Petroglyph Site on Fri.  Found out the tallest peak is Sierra Blanca in the Sacramento Mountains.

Passed it again today on our way to Roswell, NM.