Image: Southern San Rafael Fremont Indian petroglyphs (~400 to ~1350 A.D.) (Capitol Reef National Park, southern Utah, USA) 2 (22899336311)

Description: Anthropomorphs & animals - Southern San Rafael Fremont Indian petroglyphs (~400 to ~1350 A.D.) on desert varnish-covered quartzose sandstone (Wingate Sandstone, Lower Jurassic) in Utah. The reddish portions of the rock face are desert varnish - a mineral-encrusted rock surface that is common in many desert settings. Desert varnish is composed of clay minerals and red-colored hematite (Fe2O3 - iron oxide). Some desert varnish surfaces are blackish-colored from manganese oxide minerals (for example, birnessite - www.mindat.org/min-680.html). Scraping or hammering away at the desert varnish exposes the light-colored sandstone. The anthropomorphs seen here are classic examples of Fremont Indian rock art - note the subtriangular-shaped bodies and the lollipop-like structures ("hair bobs") at the sides of the heads. Locality: cliff face ~0.4 kilometers northeast of the Sulphur Creek-Fremont River confluence, Capitol Reef National Park, southern Utah, USA
Title: Southern San Rafael Fremont Indian petroglyphs (~400 to ~1350 A.D.) (Capitol Reef National Park, southern Utah, USA) 2 (22899336311)
Credit: Southern San Rafael Fremont Indian petroglyphs (~400 to ~1350 A.D.) (Capitol Reef National Park, southern Utah, USA) 2
Author: James St. John
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes