The investigation is continuing; I hope the culprits are arrested and the petroglyphs returned. Since the Bishop mesa area is popular with boulderers, some local climbers have joined in the investigation. I really hope it wasn't climbers who did this dastardly deed.
The area north of Bishop is regarded as sacred land by the local indians. According to local tribal elders, the petroglyphs were created by men on pilgrimage, after they had received visions. The indians believed that if they forgot their visions, they would die. Hence, the need to carve the visions as a way of remembering what they received in the visions.
Young men, seeking to become "medicine men/shamans/healers" would embark on a long trek from the Coso hot springs area of southern Inyo County, to a similar site in the Wyoming region. The trek was part of their initiation. Along the way, they would camp at known sacred sites, fast and pray, looking for wisdom via visions. After receiving a vision, they would carve a picture of it in volcanic rock. The carvings had nothing to do with "hunting rituals", but were always related to visions. The last known man to camp in the Bishop petroglyph area, while on his spiritual journey, was in 1969.
The Coso hot springs area (now on China Lake Weapons Center land) contains red clay that is used in healing ceremonies by modern day indians. It was an appropriate place for the spiritual journeys to begin; the men could carry hardened pieces of the clay for use during their trek.
It is understandable, therefore, that modern indians and others would hold the petroglyphs in such high regard. It is part of their ancient, pre-white-man culture.
One of the most famous, and easily accessable, petroglpyh sites is now fenced-off with chain-link fencing, to pretent "home decorators" from stealing carvings.
Last edited by Bob West; 01/08/13 08:57 AM.
