Saturday, May 29, 2010

Shaman's Gallery


Recently two close friends of mine  journeyed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon near Torowheap to visit the ancient Shaman's Gallery which is nested on the side of a wash about 3 miles down from the rim. The drive there from Phoenix is about 9 hours. This was Diane's birthday trip to the Canyon and I was supposed to go along but daughter duties prevailed. I've included some pictures of their visit to this incredible gallery. What I find interesting about these images is they are not typical of Native American petroglyphs or pictographs that I've seen. Some of the animals look familiar, but most of the figures are quite different from any I have seen. The images are pictographs; all done with pigment. I can only imagine what they looked like when freshly painted. I find them fascinating. Enjoy!


 











14 comments:

  1. Great
    Work
    good
    sources
    of
    Inspiration
    thank you

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  2. Stan,

    These are great pieces of art any of them would be worth trying as a derivative piece of watermedia work you would kill it with your abilities.

    Sincerely
    Paul

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  3. Wow- aren't these inspiring, so mysterious. I've always loved pictographs and cave paintings; they make me feel that these ancient artists are speaking to us across time. The softness of the earth-tones blending into the stone, so beautiful now, does make me wonder what they looked like when first painted...

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  4. These are EXCELLENT! Thanks for sharing.

    -Don

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  5. These are incredible. I'm so glad to have gotten to see them virtually, if not in person.

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  6. What a coincidence or is it that the title of my latest painting is Shaman's Staff and I that feel a connection to these interesting pictographs? Thank you for sharing them.

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  7. These are very sophisticated drawings quite different from anything else in my pictograph experience. Thanks for sharing them.

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  8. Beautiful expressive artwork!! Wonderful variety!

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  9. That is Gordons Panel, Discovered by Gordon Smith

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  10. Gordons panel map

    GPS Coordinates to Panel : 36.3646 latitude, -112.89703 longitude

    GPS Coordinates to Trail Head 36.33917 latitude, -112.92705 longitude

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    Replies
    1. Gordon, someone told me that you wanted this to be named after you, when all you did was wander by. I couldnt believe anyone could be so selfish, but here is the point proved. It is the artist that should be remembered, not you. You should be forgotten as soon as possible because of your egotistical attitude. I can't believe the universe honored you to show them to you. That should have been enough.

      To the owner of this website, Gordon has sought to have the gallery destroyed because it was not named after him. Please remove his posts and directions. Thank you.

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  11. To: Gordon Smith
    Sub: Shaman’s Gallery
    Date: March 2, 2008
    From:Jack Sprague (ARARA)
    Dear Mr. Smith:
    My name isJack Sprague and I am the chairperson of theConservation and Preservation Committee for the American Rock Art Research Association (ARARA). The reason that I am writing you is in regards to the rock artsite named Shaman's Gallery.
    It has been brought to my attention that you have blatantly posted a detailed map on your website of directions to thisimportant and very fragile archaeologicalsite. Further, you have totally misrepresented yourself on your website by stating that you discovered this
    site and therefore had the right to rename it after yourself. In fact, this site was first documented in 1911, and lastly in 1986, when it was meticulously recorded by professional archaeologists Polly and Curt Schaafsma, a project that you were hired on to pack in supplies. But these misrepresentations are just the result of your misplaced ego,
    and not of true concern to the archaeological community.
    What is of concern is the detailed map you have posted with directions to Shaman's Gallery. This action is wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin. First, I know, it is not illegal for you to post that information on the website. It is morally and ethically wrong, but technically you are not breaking the law. However, there is
    definitely the potential that your posted directional information could fall into the hands of someone who would be inclined to vandalize this site, and therefore you could be liable as an accessory under an ARPA conviction.
    Gordon, what you have done by posting thisinformation on the Internet it to guarantee that this very fragile and extremely valuable archaeological site will be destroyed by the uneducated, or criminal visitor, and the knowledge contained within this site and those surrounding it will be lost forever. This is something that will impact you and future
    generations of Smith's because when this information is destroyed, we have lost a valuable piece of prehistory. If you love this site enough to rename it after yourself, Gordon's Panel, then please help us protect this site by taking all directional information to Shaman's Gallery off your web site, and by contacting the Grand Canyon National
    Park archaeologist and asking what you can do to help them maintain the integrity of this, and other archaeological sites, in the park. That would be a legacy your family would be proud of.
    If I can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
    Regards,
    Jack Sprague
    Chairperson, ARARA
    Conservation and Preservation Committee
    wjsprague@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete