Prehistoric Rock Art and Historic "Graffiti": Petroglyphs at a Multicomponent Site in Eastern New Mexico

Summary

Recent field investigations at Los Ojitos, a multicomponent site in the Middle Pecos River Valley, have focused on refining the site chronology and documenting the land-use practices of Hispanic homesteaders who settled this area in the late nineteenth century. Like earlier visitors to this site, the Hispanic settlers were attracted to the clean water provided by several little springs ("ojitos") that empty into the river. Survey of one of these spring-fed drainages identified at least 45 petroglyphs—many concentrated in a shady alcove—that range from prehistoric horned serpent figures and undated abstract designs to historical-period carvings of names, anthropomorphs, and possible gaming boards. This paper presents the results of this survey and reflects on the different ways archaeologists have approached and investigated prehistoric and historical-period rock art in this area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16474