|
Indian Well is located in the central Lanfair Valley a few miles east of the Guirado Hills. The area is generally flat, sandy and dotted with low round hills. Typical vegetation here consists mostly of dried grasses, creosote bush, scattered yuccas, a few Joshua Trees with mesquite and catclaw growing along the dry washes. The Mojave Road, which follows a prehistoric trade route connecting the Colorado River people with the people along the Pacific Coast, passes just to the south of this site. The name 'Indian Well' is probably derived from a natural well that is located here. The well opening is about 3'x3', naturally lined with vertical stone, with water about 4' below the rim. Water can be drawn from the well with a container tied to a cord, but the smooth sheer sides of the well prevent use by wildlife except some lizards and insects. The well is on the southern edge of a basalt boulder outcrop. Most of the petroglyphs are concentrated around the well, although
some are found on isolated boulders in the immediate vicinity. The basalt is not
smooth, it is rough and lumpy; as a result the petroglyphs appear to be not
well made. This is an unfortunate consequence of the rock 'canvas' rather than
the artist. The majority of the petroglyphs found here are nonrepresentational and
abstract. They include various circle forms: bisected, stringed and concentric;
grids, nested curves, pendant triangles & continuous 'S' s on lines,
meandering lines, outlines crosses, complex square designs and etc. Some petroglyphs
appear to be of Mohave origin and include balanced symmetrical concentric shapes
and fringed hour glasses. Notably absent are dot patterns and bighorn sheep,
although some possible quadrupeds are seen, but anthropomorphs are rare. This
area falls within the historical Chemehuevi territory, some of the petroglyphs were probably made
by them and some by other Archaic hunter-gatherer groups that came here for
water. |
|
|
|
|
|
The petroglyphs at Indian Well are pecked into an outcrop of rock varnished basalt boulders. |
The largest concentration of petroglyphs are on the boulders surrounding a natural well (lower left). |
|
|
|
| Graffitti at Indian Well is minimal, but there is some destruction of petroglyphs from natural forces. |
This may be a representational petroglyph of a yucca or Joshua tree. |
|
|
|
|
See replicas of this
sunburst and other petroglyphs |
The nature of the rock at this site makes some petroglyphs difficult to discern. |
 |
 |
| Anthropomorphs (human-like figures) are not common here and are usually made in detail. | Well made, balanced, symmetrical petroglyphs at Indian Well may have been made by Mohave traders. |
 |
 |
| Many petroglyphs at this site are abstract designs. | Grinding surfaces are found on basalt boulders in the immediate area. |
|
See...
Petroglyph Replicas Carved in Stone
opens a new window |
Rock Art Note Cards & Photo Prints  click Image 0pens a new window |
Learn More... |
Petroglyph CDs & Books  click image |
|
©2006 All rights reserved. Reproduction, distribution or other use of images without permission from the artist is prohibited. |
|||