I just returned from the Romance Writers of America conference, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During my first days there, I viewed the petroglyphs or rock carvings found in Boca Negra Canyon (Black Mouth Canyon). I found them fascinating—some looked like spacemen!—and would like to share some information about them with you.
Most of the petroglyphs were made by the ancestors of the modern Pueblo people. The petroglyphs are carved into basalt (lava) rocks. When the rock formed from volcanic fissures, it was light gray in color. As it aged, it developed a dark patina called desert varnish. The people would carve through this patina to the lighter gray rock below to make their patterns and symbols.
The ancestors of the Pueblo people lived in the Rio Grande Valley since 500 AD. A drought in 1300 AD caused many people to move closer to the river. Most of these petroglyphs are thought to be made between 1300 and 1700 in a style called the Rio Grande style. The early Pueblo people did not have a written language, so these symbols may have sacred meaning, mark trade routes, record an event or simply be a means of communication.
While the images are located in this area, the people did not live here, rather living in adobe buildings along the Rio Grande.
Many of the petroglyphs are on the sides of boulders facing south or southeast. One theory is that these were made in the winter when that side of the boulder was warmer and had less snow accumulation.
The images show patterns, animals and humans. Archeologists have found over 21,000 petroglyphs along 17 miles of escarpment. Some petroglyphs date from later ages, including some carved in the 1700s by early Spanish explorers.