| Show Ancient Indian Rock Art was Not Mere Graffiti By Dave Manning lanning Staff Writer Are and pictographs pictographs pictographs pic- pic graffiti graffi ti of yesteryear Absolutely not says Steve Manning Manning Man Man- ning Director of Utah Archaeological Archaeological Archaeological Ar Ar- Research Institute Although rock art and pictographs do fall under the dictionary definition of graffiti Any scrawling written or drawn so as to be seen by the public that may be where the similarities end Not everyone was allowed to write on the rocks said Manning Only artistically mature in individuals individuals in- in not kids Rock art shows the ideologies of the people who wrote it Many panels of rock art are religious Other panels deal with mythology superstition or reproduction Many stories are depicted by byrock byrock byrock rock art Great meetings are recorded in elaborate paintings and etching Important events were recorded forever by pecking images into desert varnish Perhaps the most important use of rock art was to discern the seasons Indians recorded cal eal markings to know when it was time to plant their crops and possibly when it was time to move to a warmer climate Newspaper rock located in In Indian Indian Indian In- In dian Creek Utah is perhaps one of the better known panels of Three different styles of images ordain the rock Basket Maker Fremont and Ute dating from 0 AD and 1750 1500 AD respectively Similar to graffiti of today In Indians Indians Indians In- In pecked their style of rock art 4 I y t rJ 3 4 1 ii x 3 c fi 4 1 t i s V J ra w V A Photo by Dave Manning Modern-day Modern graffiti adorns many public areas including buildings and cement culverts such as this one over what was previously there They Indians put theirs over top to cancel out the power They believed theirs was better more powerful more important Manning Manning Manning Man Man- ning said Graffiti of today mark territory they claim to be theirs Did Indians mark their territory with rock art I dont don't see any evidence none at all Manning said It hIt rock art has a definite purpose what that thatis is we arent aren't always sure Newspaper rock has been vandal vandal- by people writing their name across its it's surface A fence was eventually erected to prevent vandals from destroying the history which remains Should a fence be erected around modern-day modern graffiti to preserve it for future generations 0 ti i m 4 rr 4 It hZ ii IkA I J. J P 7 j z c J N IJ Photo Courtesy of Steve Manning Did modern-day modern graffiti find its roots in ancient Indian rock art Some experts experts experts ex ex- ex- ex such as Steve Manning think not |
