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Mule Tank is located
about 15 miles west of Blythe, California. This site is located at the only
source of water in the immediate area (seasonal at that) and is situated on a
trail that leads eastward to a distant spring (Corn Spring petroglyph site). At
different times, this area was occupied by the Yuman speaking Colorado River
people and the Shoshonean speaking Chemehuevi. The rock art was likely made by
both groups and falls into the Colorado River regional petroglyph style: mostly
geometric and entopic patterns that are deep and widely carved and show evidence
of repecking.
An unusual panel above the tank and to the right depicts a female anthropomorph (probably a female shaman) and a diamond chain. Diamond chains are associated with female puberty ceremonies and the anthropomorph is identified as female by its pendant labia. Female shamans were rare because menstrual blood was considered contrary to magical power and therefore females did not become shaman until after menopause. About two miles from Mule Tank are the Mule Canyon geoglyphs. These geoglyphs consist of small circular areas in the desert pavement that have been cleared of pebbles and arranged in patterns. |
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Mule Tank is at the top of a short canyon and the 'tank' was formed by water run-off pouring over a small cliff and digging out the sand below the water flow. |
This boulder exhibiting
several different petroglyph elements has broken due to natural causes. |
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| Simple, solid body human-like figures are found here in small numbers. Bighorn sheep petroglyphs are absent. |
Some petroglyphs are faint and are easily missed. |
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Some panels are 'cluttered', with younger or repecked petroglyphs superimposed on older, repatinaed petroglyphs. |
A rare female anthropomorph (classified female by pendant labia) is located in the upper right. |
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| Each geoglyph consists of a circular area cleared of pebbles and approximately 32" in diameter. | The geoglyphs are arranged in circular patterns as well as single and double rows. |
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See...
Petroglyph Replicas Carved in Stone
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Petroglyph CDs & Books |
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©2005 All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution or other use of images without permission from the artist is prohibited. |
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