Symbols in Stone

The Enigmatic Petroglyphs of South Mountain

Scattered all across the southwest United States are strange carvings in the rocks.  These carvings, often of animals or geometric patterns, are marked on areas deemed especially important.  When you look upon them, it can be easy to think that the native peoples were communicating the same as we do with modern-day graffiti, as if the drawings were proclaiming a simple message: “I was here”.  However, they were not created to bolster the ego. 

As noted by researcher Philip Callahan, these are akin to visual prayers or spiritual maps, connecting deeply with the beliefs and journeys of the ancient peoples.

The South Mountains in Phoenix, Arizona harbor numerous ancient petroglyphs crafted by the Hohokam people who once inhabited the region. These creations suggest that the area, particularly South Mountain, was a site of great spiritual significance, likely frequented by shamans for rituals and vision quests.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit one particular area of South Mountain located at the entrance of a natural tunnel on Mormon Trail.  At the entrance to this tunnel are various petroglyphs, indicating that this natural tunnel likely served as a sacred site for the Hohokam people. 

(Petroglyphs at the tunnel entrance)

Today, the natural tunnel is a popular hiking spot in the mountain and the petroglyphs in this area have unfortunately been subject to vandalism over the years, yet a few survive:  a Shaman wearing a bird mask, a coyote who appears to have hoofs, and a mountain sheep.  

(tunnel entrance)

Passing through the tunnel to the other side is like stepping into another realm. The overwhelming silence and surreal quality of the landscape give it an almost alien atmosphere.

(view from the other side)

This whole area on the other side of the tunnel resonates with a unique energy, creating a sensation of being in a timeless, otherworldly space.

One of the first things you will notice is total and complete silence.  No sounds at all.  As if this area was cut off from the rest of the mountain.

Perhaps the Hohokam shamans considered this natural tunnel a sort of “passageway” into the spirit world.  The markings at the entrance likely signal this.

The area on the other side of the tunnel is definitely special and I believe the Hohokam marked this region as a result.  What follows is my interpretation of what these petroglyphs mean based on my own experience of entering this sacred space.  

The first image on the left depicts a shaman wearing a bird mask.  This is a significant symbol because birds are often depicted as messengers or intermediaries between the spirit world and the physical world.  The shaman is one who exists in two worlds - the world of the living and the world of the dead.  By wearing the mask of a bird, the individual is attempting to communicate with the world of the spirits and to speak and understand the “language of the birds”, in other words - to be able to see, speak, and understand the symbols communicated to us from the world of the spirits. 

  

This petroglyph appears to be communicating that the area you are about to enter is sacred and by entering you can become an individual who can “see and hear”.

The next petroglyph depicts a coyote with hoofs.  This is significant because it is not a drawing of a coyote, it is a drawing of the coyote embodying the trickster archetype.

To the Hohokam who inhabited this region, the coyote was a symbol associated with intelligence, cunning, and the ability to navigate complex situations.  The coyote was also associated with deceit, mischief, and the disruption of order.

It seems the coyote symbol could represent the intelligence of mankind.  Another symbol in our modern society that represents intelligence is the moon and it is interesting that the Native Americans chose the Coyote to represent this archetype as Coyotes are generally nocturnal and, interestingly, their howling activity increases when the moon is full.

The moon provides illumination, however, it does not generate its own light but must borrow it from the Sun.  And what is clear in the daylight becomes obscured in the moonlight.  Likewise, our intelligence is a reflection of Spirit.  Intelligence alone does not provide true insight or true revelation.  Intelligence can analyze, but by itself, it cannot know. 

Left to itself, the mind easily succumbs to its own shadows, getting lost in what isn’t true.  We easily become lost in the chimeras of the mind and “lured toward chaos by our own thoughts” as Manly P. Hall said.

This depiction of the coyote transforming into the mountain goat brings to mind the experience of the Spirit archetype from the Law of One.  

The final petroglyph depicted appears to be a mountain sheep.  The mountain goat is a common petroglyph found all over South Mountain.  It is a symbol that represents strength, agility, and resilience and was considered a guardian spirit by the Hohokam.

To draw the symbol might be considered a sort of “blessing” on a space as the mountain goat is a common petroglyph found all over South Mountain.  To draw this symbol might be a way to infuse the space with the energy of resilience, strength, etc.  

What is interesting, though is that the coyote is depicted as transforming into the guardian spirit.  Perhaps this is communicating that in order to be a person who can see and hear, one must not only have intelligence but also the strength that only comes from the higher. 

Considering the surreal landscape that lies beyond the natural tunnel, it may also be a type of warning that what lies beyond can illuminate or deceive the unprepared initiate. 

In summary, these petroglyphs convey a message about the sacredness and transformative power of the area, cautioning that true understanding requires a balance of intellect and higher spiritual strength.

Whether or not this is what was meant by the petroglyphs, the area certainly had an impression on me and is somewhere I will forever consider sacred.