Added: 08/21/2006 |
The Allure of Petroglyphs in Zion National ParkInspired by breathtaking photographs of sweeping canyons, striated cliff faces, and startling fields of flowers blooming in the desert sunlight, a person can be drawn to visit Zion National Park and the Zion Canyon area without even knowing of the incredible petroglyphs left by the park's original Anasazi inhabitants. However, those petroglyphs give testimony to an enduring, cheerful spirit of life in the harshness of the desert. The ancient mythical figure of Kokopelli continues to pipe his call from the living desert stones, leading the visitor to new adventures.
The ancient Anasazi who created most of the petroglyphs inhabited Zion National Park about 2,000 years ago. Their abandoned pueblo-style cliff dwellings can also still be found in the Zion Canyon area, allowing visitors to visit the homes of some of the earliest American artists. Chipping sites and other artifact sites, where the petroglyph artists' and their neighbors' tools were manufactured, are also preserved in Zion National Park. The modern art galleries in nearby Springdale, Utah, offer many wonders to curious tourists, but a dedicated visitor can do no better than to obtain permission to explore the actual remains of ancient villages and to discover the awe-inspiring prehistoric artwork still displayed on the cliff walls and rock faces selected by its original creators.
Modern vandals have, unfortunately, created a need to restrict access to many of these wonders, but the South Fork Indian Canyon, in the eastern portion of Zion National Park, is open to the public. Accessible through a novice-friendly trail that also passes the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, this site allows even casual visitors to experience Zion Canyon's ancient rock art. Once inspired, however, a visitor may feel compelled to volunteer to assist a research team, just to gain the deep privilege of seeing firsthand the spirals, figures, and handprints of the petroglyphs to be found in the Kolob Terrace, Mt. Kinesava, Spry Canyon, or even the spectacular Parunuweap ruins.
Waiting patiently for such a visitor, often hidden among other rock art, is the friendly form of Kokopelli. Kokopelli is among the best-known and best-loved Native American mythical figures today, as he was in ancient times. The humpbacked flute player, sometimes portrayed as a cricket, brought spring's new seeds, songs, and even babies to Anasazi who had survived the trials of winter. Just as Kokopelli's infectious joy lightened the hearts of prehistoric peoples, the wandering traveler has made his way also into modern American culture. He can be found printed on bumper stickers, stitched onto throw pillows, and screen-printed on t-shirts. The original designs, however, are only preserved among the petroglyphs of the desert southwest-such as those in Zion National Park.
A tourist may decide to visit Zion National Park, or the Zion Canyon area, to witness the spectacular views and incredible natural landscapes for which the park is famous. He may be drawn to seek out any of the hundreds upon hundreds of species of birds, or even to find the unique snails that dwell nowhere else on Earth. Once in the park, however, that tourist may hear Kokopelli's cheerful piping call lifting his heart and urging him to new adventures. That tourist would be well-advised to allow time for the magic and mystery of exploring Zion National Park's ancient petroglyphs.
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