Issue 9: Burning History & the Ashing of Science

On the stone surfaces above these glyphs are three polished depressions (see above), used hundreds
or thousands of years ago by the people who lived here as grinding slicks, for tool making, etc. They’re
all part of this “place.” There is also an oversized petroglyph appearing to be a footprint of a large bird.
Since I’ve sat here eating lunch on so may occasions, I’ve become familiar with the details of this enclosed
environment. I began to notice vertical alignments (see right) and details between the glyph
panel and the natural rock formations above. They were created when the basalt was hot lava filled with
gas bubbles, causing it to cool with these interesting tube-like voids. The Sinagua must have found
them very interesting and meaningful, particularly since they are near this large vertical crack in the
rocks. Deep openings like this were often revered as sacred openings or connections with the spirit
world within the earth, I’m told. This could explain the presence of pecked images.
Then, one day in January, I
observed this!
The shadow of the noon sun
was crossing directly over the
center of the double concentric
circle petroglyph. Was this
a coincidence? What does it
do on the summer solstice and
on the shortest day in December?
Was this really a seasonal
solar marker? It would take a
whole year of observation to
know. The challenge was ON!