Twin Tanks #3 Wilderness Area Pictographs & Rock Shelter JTNP

The third of four posts from the Twin Tanks area of Joshua Tree National Park. I use the term "Twin Tanks area" loosely because it's closer to it than anything else, but it's not really close at all. If you are thinking about trying to find these two sites, please remember that the first few photos may, or  may not even be in the area at all. It is also very easy to become hurt, or lost there.

Pictograph Site

The "cave" in that huge boulder looks pretty inviting!

Can you spot the pictographs in this photo?

The same photo after some post processing. This isn't a large or amazing site, and it is extremely obscure. I'm sure there are very few people who have seen it since it's creation. If anybody does stumble upon it, I doubt if they would see anything at all.

Nothing at all in this photo, right?

It wasn't easy to coax these two guys out of the first photo. It looks like two people to me. You can still see the outstretched arms, head, and body of the one on the left. I might be wrong about the one on the right, it may be just a smudge! Heck, I may be wrong about the one on the left also...

Rock Shelter

There were small pottery shards nearby, and also evidence (almost invisible) of pictographs in this rock shelter. Even after using DStretch on them there were only a few faint lines. Because of that I didn't include any photos. 

.

Stirrup Tank Adjacent Petroglyphs JTNP

Although this isn't a large site, it is noteworthy because of the type of petroglyphs that are there. Plus, it is in an absolutely gorgeous and rugged area. 

From here it looks like a nice and easy hike across this valley. That thought ends in about a hundred yards...

...when you run into this! Climbing down into, and then up out of this is actually the easiest way to go. During major storms, water rushes down these little gullies at amazing speed. Not a place you want to be stuck in.

 Plenty of gorgeous scenery

 This rock is our destination

Although there aren't very many of them remaining, the predominant petroglyphs at this site are the "barbell" looking symbols.  

There are many opinions relating to what exactly the "barbell" symbols represent. My granny told me that it represents a meeting between two people, or two groups of people. If there is a third circle in the middle, it represents a third party acting as an intermediary, or mediator. I believe her...

 It's always nice when mother nature graces us with a few clouds for our photos.

.

Another Amazing Unknown Pictograph Site - Joshua Tree National Park

I've never heard so much as a peep about this site. It is obscure to the point that it isn't even a secret.
It also contains some symbols that I've never seen anywhere else.

This is not in the same area as the pictos in this post. I just liked the photo and needed to work it in somewhere.

There are a lot of boulders that look similar to this one in the area. After sticking my head in several of them, bingo!

It was partially hollow. 

 The other side of the boulder.

 A new symbol to me. Something to do with females and fertility, me thinks. 

Two layers of pictographs. The first and third symbol are solid, while the second and fourth are totally hollow, including the vertical parts. All four of them are attached to a horizontal bar on top.  I wonder if this is related to the Red Diamond chains hanging from the horizontal bar in the next photo?

The four symbols in the previous photo, and the three diamond chains in this one, are representative of "female." So maybe both are part of a female puberty initiate ceremony. If you do follow this LINK, it will take to my post relating to that subject, and this photo. If you don't, no problem...

 This spot clearly had old pictos in it.

After DStretch

A third panel in the hollow boulder

.

Unknown Pictograph and Habitation Site - Joshua Tree National Park

This post is not about one of the "secret rock art sites" in Joshua Tree N.P. It's about a virtually unknown rock art site in Joshua Tree N.P. I have to give credit to someone for telling me about this place. Please see his info, at the end of this post.

In case somebody reading this wants to find it, be advised that the landscape photos in this post are not anywhere near the site. I'd like to keep this place as obscure and pristine as it is now.

This photo was taken along one of the well know trails in JT. It is not related to these pictographs 

 Neither is this one

Nor this one

Ditto here

After a long hike, and a lot of climbing in, around, and over boulders, we arrived.  My eyes lit up when I saw two milling slicks hidden in a spot that would be very hard to find. If you don't already know, a "slick," is also known as a "metate," or "grinding surface." Together, they are used to grind acorns, nuts, grains, plants, etc.

The rock has two well used surfaces on it. You see one of them just to the left of middle. As smooth as a baby's behind (as my granny always used to say), That stone wasn't sitting on the slick when I got there. I found it sitting on the ground just a foot or so away.  That rock is called a "Mano" or "hand"(para aquellos de ustedes que no hablan espanol). 😉 The presence of the mano at this site is a really big deal.

Unfortunately, it is broken. I started looking around for the other half. I don't know if this it, but it might be. It is either half of this one, or half of another, Because both were very smooth. I wasn't about to start digging around to find out. I didn't leave them on the rock, and I also didn't put them exactly where I found them. I'd hate for them to be taken by the next person who sees them. I hid them!

 Very close by was this rock shelter. 

Always happy to see the faint remains of pictographs. Note the lines in the upper left corner. I don't think I've seen any violet or purple pictographs in this area (that I can remember anyway).

 A little processing of the photo with DStretch reveals the pictographs

 You can see the grid like symbol much better in this one

 Another little hint of red in this photo

 Even after processing the photo, this still isn't very clear. 

 Another symbol (in the center)

 Look what else showed up!

The sunburst is very cool in it's own right, but look in the middle of it. Another sunburst!   I have never seen that before. The center usually is empty, or solid, or has a "dot" in the middle.
---------------------------------------------
Without the help of my friend Robert, I probably would have never found, or even known about this place. Robert is a professional photographer and has also published several books about rock climbing. You can see his photography here, or here. You can see and/or purchase his books at Amazon.




,

.