Rock art sites have survived for thousands of years and will
continue to survive for many thousands more... providing no one ever visits them again! In other
words, the greatest danger to the sites is people. Many prehistoric sites have
been flooded due to the building of dams along water courses where prehistoric
people once lived, but millions of people now benefit from those dams. Many more
sites have been destroyed by highway construction (wouldn't you know we need to
put our highways right on top the very same pathways prehistoric people once
used!), but hundreds of thousands of people now benefit from those highways. And
today, sites are being destroyed to make room for housing projects that will
benefit still hundreds of more people. Every year we build
further and further into areas that were once protected only by their
desolation. In the near future these prehistoric sites will be protected only by
the attitudes of the citizens of this country. Sounds bleak for the rock art,
and it is. Maybe public attitude and the situation will change, but until it
does, there are some things that each of us can do.
Don't trespass
on other people's property. Ask for permission and if you get it, follow their
rules.
Don't drive
right up to a prehistoric site. Walk the last half or quarter mile. It is
good exercise, you might see some wildlife or other interesting stuff along
the way, hold your kids hand and do some bonding.
If you pick
something up off of the ground - take a good look at it, check it out. Let the
others in your group check it out too, and then put it back where you found
it.
Note:
Petroglyph sites are not confined only to where the actual carved images are, they
include the surrounding area as well. The surrounding area may include
prehistoric campsites, villages, food processing locations, quarries, rock
alignments, hunting blinds and a whole host of other archaeological
interests. It is these other interests that help to give us supportive
data about
the carved images and they need to be preserved as well.
Never carry
glassware with you and what ever you carry in, carry out. And if you want to
really help, carry out some trash that someone not as considerate as you left
behind.
Do take photographs
or make sketches of the 'glyphs.
Do show
the pictures to all of your friends and family.
Do look
up information about petroglyphs on the internet and in books.
Do not make
'rubbings'. Most people don't know how to do rubbings properly and then don't know what to do
with them later. Besides, the 'glyph could easily be damaged.
No touching
the 'glyphs, especially pictographs (pictos'). Touching will dislodge lose pieces of
stone or paint, and natural body
oils (or whatever lotions you have on your skin) are not good for the 'glyphs. It is hard not to
touch... so if you can't control yourself touch a
nearby stone instead.
Don't climb
above the petroglyphs. You may dislodge loose stone that will fall and damage them. And if you fall you'll scrape yourself on the
stone you'll bleed on the petroglyphs on the way down! (see no touching).
Note:
I didn't mention 'don'ts' that fall in the category of common sense. However,
since it only takes one person to ruin things for
everyone else, I'll sum up the common sense don'ts for them:
Don't do anything to a
petroglyph that you wouldn't do first to your own head. That includes painting
it, shooting it or carving your initials in it.
Final Note:
Do have a good time, be safe and act responsibly. Enjoy the outdoors and remember, it is about appreciating
and preserving prehistoric rock art, not about indulging ourselves.
