One of the neatest parts of the Four Corners trip was seeing the petroglyphs at Butler Wash. Butler Wash is a side canyon off of the San Juan River, whose cliff faces are covered in petroglyphs. The panel which we stopped at is perhaps the most famous of these petroglyphs and can only be reached by rafting down the river or a long hike. The panel of petroglyphs is over 200 ft long and approximately 30 feet above ground level (http://www.coconino.edu/apetersen/_art221/rockart.htm). The majority of the petroglyphs at Butler Wash are from the Basketmaker II-III Period (100 BC-700 AD), but there are a few others that are most likely from the Navajo people (http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/vhra/web/butler.html).Â
Petroglyphs are pictures that have been etched into the rock, rather than painted on. Several types of subject matter are etched on the rock. Anthropomorphs are defined as a figure resembling a human being, Zoomorphs are animals or insect-like creatures, and then there are abstract and representational figures as well (http://www.coconino.edu/apetersen/_art221/rockart.htm). The exact meanings of rock art are not known, but they are thought to have been used for rituals. Many may have been for shamanistic rituals and these panels would include masks, headdresses, elaborate costumes, birds, animal spirit guides, and skeletons (http://www.coconino.edu/apetersen/_art221/rockart.htm).Â
As we got off the boats, one of the first things our guide warned us about was to not go scaling the hill to get to the panel. This “hill� is actually a burial ground from the ancient people and is sacred and should be treated as such. We were also warned to not touch the panel, as the oils in our hands would degrade the etched petroglyphs. As we climbed around the hill, up to the panel, several large petroglyphs came into view. These seven anthropomorphs are not only found here, but in several other areas as well. We were told that they most likely represented the deities of the ancestral people who lived in the area. These deities were represented with large, triangular shaped bodies, with small circular heads. Each of them had what appeared to be a head dress and large hands and feet. Most of them had ornaments about their bodies as well. There were many zoomorphs scattered about the panel as well. They appeared to represent birds, big horn sheep, insects, and types of deer. There were also several representations of what seemed to be corn; we thought perhaps this was special to the people because it was a large part of their diet.
The petroglyph panel was very impressive in itself, but there were other interesting historical aspects in the area as well. As we came close to the panel, we could see several circular indentations in the side of the canyon wall. Our guide explained that these were used by the Anasazi as ladders by which they got up to either their houses or granaries. An interesting fact about them was that if one did not start off on the correct hand and foot, then they would get stuck half way up the wall, and most likely fall before they would be able to climb back down. This was taken as a security measure to protect themselves and their food. Another cool aspect of the Butler Wash area was that there were ancient shards of pottery strewn about the ground. You are supposed to leave these for others to enjoy as well, but many people have taken them as souvenirs, so there are not as many left as there once was. Still, we were able to find some large pieces and some decorative pieces, which we left in place. Some were painted and others had raised designs on their surfaces. Overall the area was filled with ancient history that deeply deserves to be respected and preserved for future generations to learn from as well.  –Alyssa Langley
