Monday, May 30, 2011

Parowan Gap Petroglyphs - Utah

We visited Parowan Gap on a recent trip to Utah.



The Parowan Gap Petroglyphs are located not far off I-15 in southern Utah, a distance of about 16 miles from Cedar City.





Parowan Gap is a natural mountain pass.




The first petroglyphs on the rock walls date back more than 1000 years.



The petroglyphs are fenced off, but they are very easy to view.



It's fun to try to figure out the drawings. Some of the easier ones depict lizards, bear claws, mountain sheep, the sun and something resembling humans.











Several rock shelters are in the immediate area. Some are not fenced off.



A half dozen people would have found shelter in the largest one.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I grew up in Soutern Utah and have been to the gap many times. This was a sacred spot because it was used to mark the summer solstice. Indeed, people still gather at the gap to watch the sun set. On the sulstice, it sets directly inside the gap, splitting both ridges perfectly.