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The Coyote Hole petroglyph site is located in the eastern Wonderland of Rocks area, and south of Joshua Tree, California. The site extends for a half mile along a mostly east to west dry wash. The short wash is bordered by granite boulders piled up to 80 feet high. There is no permanent source of water to feed the wash, but the wash does serve to drain the surrounding area of runoff during times of rain. Most of the petroglyphs are orientated facing south and the main concentration is on several boulders high on a rock cliff known locally as 'Kellie Hill'. Single isolated and small panels of petroglyphs, many of which are faint and difficult to see, occur along the entire length of wash. Most of the petroglyphs found here are nonrepresentational and fall into the Great Basin Abstract style. Curvilinear petroglyphs are found in greater numbers than rectilinear petroglyphs. There are some representational petroglyphs including occasional stick figure anthropomorphs, both digitate and nondigitate, and possibly some with hollow round heads. Other representational petroglyphs include atlatls and several unidentified quadrupeds. This area was occupied primarily by the Serrano people, but there may have been occasional use by the Chemehuevi from west and the Cahuilla from the south. Petroglyphs located near the sandy wash floor have been damaged by
water flow, although petroglyphs high on the cliff face appear safe... at least
from natural deterioration. In the 1960's the Army Corps of Engineers
constructed a drainage canal that exits the sash and goes under the highway. In
doing so they blasted away many of the lower petroglyphs to use the rock for
construction. By the time locals got injunctions to save the petroglyphs, the
damage was done. Recent housing development within a few hundred
yards of this site will subject the petroglyphs to the civilized pastimes of
target shooting, rock climbing and graffiti. |
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The petroglyphs at Coyote Hole are pecked into rock varnished granite boulders. |
The largest concentration of petroglyphs are on these boulders. |
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| There are about 30 petroglyphs on this panel, including atlatls and digitate human-like forms. |
Some petroglyphs are carved
high up on the rock cliff. |
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In many cases the rock varnish on the boulders in the Joshua Tree area is not dark and the petroglyph contrast is not sharp. |
This petroglyph is similar to other petroglyphs found in the Great Basin. |
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| The boulders piles have formed several small rock shelters that may have served as short term habitation sites. | The majority of petroglyphs here are abstract and curvilinear. |
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| Many petroglyphs at this site are faint and are easily missed in poor light. | Stick figure anthropomorphs with round heads are found at this and other sited in the area. |
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See...
Petroglyph Replicas Carved in Stone
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