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2010 Rock Art Recording at Cottonwood Springs (LA 175), New Mexico

Margaret Berrier and LeRoy Unglaub

DO NOT CITE IN ANY CONTEXT WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

Archaeological Society of New Mexico – Rock Art Council (ASNM-RAC)

2986 Sundance Circles, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88011(marglyph@msn.com)

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The Cottonwood Springs Site (LA 175) is located north of Las Cruces on the

Jornada Experimental Range (JER). As part of the Southern San Andres Project led by

Meade F. Kemrer, three rock art locations at this site were recorded by the Dona Ana

Branch of the Archaeological Society of New Mexico - Rock Art Council (ASNM-RAC) in

2010. This report presents findings to date including methods, distribution and possible

cultural affiliations. Comparisons will be made between the two rock art styles (Desert

Abstract and Jornada-Mogollon) found at Cottonwood Springs and with rock art sites in

the surrounding area.

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In 2009 Meade Kemrer asked LeRoy Unglaub and me to photograph the rock art

panels at Cottonwood Springs (LA 175) on the Jornada Experimental Range north of

Las Cruces, New Mexico as part of a part of Southern San Andres Project (NMCRIS #

116769). LA175 is located north of Las Cruces on the west flank of the San Andres

Mountains on the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) within the boundaries of White

Sands Missile Range. In December of that year we did a quick survey to estimate the

number of panels and how much time

it might take to do a recording that

included detailed information to go

along with the photos. At that time we

estimated that there were 100 panels.

The geology of these sites includes

interbedded mudstone and sandstone

with the petroglyphs being pecked,

incised or abraded into the mudstones.

No pictographs were found. Figure 1

shows a map of the general area with

an insert showing more detail of the site. A permanent spring and arroyo that allows

access across the San Andreas Mountains are other important features of this area.

In their report on documentation of this late Formative settlement site in 1986,

Lekson and Rorex say,

Figure 1: General area map

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“We only briefly inspected the petroglyph fields. These are on a spine-like

outcrop that cuts across all three hills adjacent to Areas A, B, and C, and

on large boulders detached from this outcrop. Beyond determining that

petroglyphs are present in great numbers, we could only afford the time to

sketch a few panels. Petroglyphs are clearly a major, if previously

unknown, resource at Cottonwood Spring site” (Lekson and Rorex

1995:23).

Figure 2 shows the three areas described by Lekson and Rorex (A,B and C) as well as

areas of fire cracked rock, possible pithouses and El Paso phase architectural features

(redrawn from 1995:15). Although these rock art sites have been associated with LA

175 the NMCRIS database shows duplicate numbers LA 72700 and 72704. Since LA

175 was the first number to be assigned for this area that number is used in this report.

Other village sites inhabited between 900-1400 AD in this general area include

Jaggedy, Indian Tank,

Cedar Well, Burned

Corn, Fleck Draw, and

Bruton Bead (Kemrer

2009:73).

The rock art styles

in this area include

Desert Abstract, Jornada

and Proto-

historic/Apache. The

Figure 2: Terrain map showing three petroglyph areas

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Desert Abstract style petroglyphs are generally non-figurative and heavily or totally

repatinated. Some elements of this style include: zigzags, wavy lines, dots, concentric

circles and complex designs with irregular curvilinear or rectilinear patterns (Bilbo and

Bilbo, 1979, and Schaafsma 1992:47). These figures are often difficult to see and even

more difficult to photograph without ideal lighting. Whalen assigns dates of A.D. 1 to 600

for Early Pithouse and circa A.D. 600-1100 for Late Pithouse (1980) and it is possible

that these Desert Abstract Style images were created during that time or earlier.

Schaafsma dates for this style start around A.D.1 (1980:186). Later in this paper you will

see a comparison with what has been termed Western Archaic Tradition.

Jornada images often included: terrace / step-fret elements, “blanket designs”,

naturalistic human and animal figures, goggle-eyed figures, and cloud terraces with

“rainbow” arcs, faces or masks, horned serpents, and animal tracks. The plasma-

chemical technique has been used to date figures of this style at Hueco Tanks. The

dates, on small samples of charcoal pigment taken directly from these figures, have

corrected radiocarbon ages with a two sigma error of AD 650-990, AD 675-985, and AD

660-1020 (Hyman et al 1999:76). Midpoints in these ranges are AD 820, AD 830 and

AD 840. Jornada Mogollon archaeologists have considered these ages to be too old

and suggest they are biased by an “old wood” problem where the charcoal is coming

from sources older than the paintings. More recent ages of post AD 1000 have been

proposed by Polly Schaafsma (1980:235; 1999:171) and others (Brody 1991). These

ages are based on the dates for similar figures found on Mimbres ceramics. Recently

samples were dated at Limonite Cave (LA 36937) and Picture Cave (41EP737) yield

date ranges between A.D. 600 and 1000 (Miller et all 2012)

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Proto-historic or Apache images often include narrow-waisted human figures;

buffalo head dresses, horses, guns and depictions of historic events (Bilbo and Bilbo

1990; Schaafsma 1992:78-79). Some abstract elements like long rows of dots and

triangles have been attributed to the Apaches. Since the New Mexico Apache were

estimated to have acquired the horse between 1600 and 1638, that is considered the

beginning date for this style and the Apache may have continued making rock late into

the 19th century (Schaafsma 1992:80). In this area the Apache images are painted and

pecked and there is little to no repatination. No Proto-historic or Apache images were

apparent at Cottonwood but since they were known to inhabit this region it is possible

that some of the images were made by them.

Since no accurate way is yet available to date style, patination along with the

comparison of iconography from other more datable media (ceramics and stone) are the

only ways to estimate the cultures associated with the rock art.

Within a 50 miles radius there are other rock art sites including: New Well (not

yet assigned an LA#), Cleofas Canyon (LA 66668), Cleofas Springs Sites (LA 72692

and 72693), the Summerford and Dona Ana Mountain sites (LA 2791, 2792, 2821,

2827, 18404, 18405, 18406, 18407, 18408, 66655, 72694, 121899, 121900, 121901,

121902, 66655, 66667, 72694, 72694), Lucero Arroyo (LA 66670), Keirn Hill (LA

72710), Point of Rocks (LA 72660 and 72662) San Diego Peak (LA 30643 and 72695)

and Hembrillo Canyon (LA16291) to name a few. The Summerford Mountain area was

fully recorded by the Dona Ana Archaeological Society (DAAS) beginning July 25, 1997

and ending June 30, 1998 and received National Historic Register status in 2007 as part

of the Summerford Mountain Archaeological District (Pick 1998). This recording was

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very detailed. Within a wider range there are many more sites including the large well

known site of Three Rivers (LA 4923) which was recorded over a six year period by the

ASNM Rock Art Recording Field School. This study will show the elements, styles, and

distribution of the rock art at Cottonwood Springs and briefly compare it with these sites

METHODS

LeRoy and I, with help on occasion by Brian Halstead, used a modified version of the

ASNM-RAC methodology (http://www.newmexico-archaeology.org/text/racouncil.htm).

Panels were photographed with a mug board and a GPS enabled camera. Each area

and panel had its own designation which appeared on the mug board along with the

date, site number, names of recorders and a scale. We recorded data on the mapper’s

notes form which included: GPS location (WGS 84), elevation, facing, size of panel,

distance above ground level, method of production, degree of patination and

miscellaneous notes. Normally the ASNM-RAC recording includes the completion of a

photo data sheet which includes a quick sketch done in the field. Due to access and

time restrictions no sketches, site or plan diagrams were made in the field. Instead I

filled out the photo data sheet when I returned home. See Figure 3 for an example. I

made tracings of each panel by using printed photos placed on a light table. I used

these tracings to determine the categories and subcategories using the design inventory

created by the ASNM-RAC. During subsequent field visits we field checked these

tracings and forms and modified them where necessary. Although very time consuming

these tracings make it easier to see the details of the images by eliminating the

distractions of color, texture and shadow in the photos. The use of field checked tracing

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eliminates some of the subjective

tendencies of field sketches and

insures a more accurate sense of

proportion between elements.

All the data was placed

into an Excel database for

analysis. In addition to the items

that ASNM-RAC normally

capture we added placement

(cliff face or boulder) and “style”

data. Style names were assigned for each paneling using the definitions in current

literature including: Desert Abstract, Jornada or other (Bilbo, McCulloch and Sutherland,

1979: 230, Bilbo 1985: 9, Schaafsma 1992). The ASNM-RAC mapper’s notes and/or

photo data sheets do not include space for style or placement so these were recorded

in the spreadsheet. Since the ASNM-RAC format is numeric. We started with Lekson

and Rorex’s Area C so that is our Prov 1, we then proceeded to Area B (our Prov 2) and

then Area A (our Prov 3). Our documentation uses the Prov #s but this report will use

areas designated by Lekson and Rores.

A copy of the file with GPS locations was given to Meade Kemrer who created

shape files for use with Arc GIS. LeRoy Unglaub used the GPS data gathered by his

camera and Nikon’s freeware “View NX” to created maps showing estimated distribution

of images on satellite photos (Figures 4, 8-10, 12 and 13). A digital copy of all reports,

Figure 3: Example of photo data sheet

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photos and forms will be provided to the land owners (JER and White Sands Missile

Range) and the Laboratory of Anthropology will receive the hard copy data.

RESULTS AND

DISCUSSION

As with most rock art

surveys the number of

estimated panels was low

and rather than 100 we

recorded 367 with 1254

elements during our 2010

field season. Figure 4 shows

the location of the recorded panels. We noticed differences between styles and between

the distribution and element types during our analysis. At Cottonwood many of the

Desert Abstract images are made with carefully controlled closely pecked pecks, are

mostly on boulders rather than cliff faces, and are totally or heavily repatinated. The

Jornada petroglyphs at Cottonwood are more lightly patinated than the Desert Abstract

Style, and are generally on cliff faces that face south or east. Some of the Jornada

petroglyphs are less well executed and appear almost like sketches. A few images were

difficult to place in one of these categories so they were labeled as “other”. Some

interesting comparisons can be made between the petroglyphs at Cottonwood and

those of surrounding areas. If the Jornada rock art is associated with agricultural village

Figure 4: View NX of petroglyph panel distribution

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areas outlined by Kelley (1984) we would expect to see similarities between

Cottonwood and other sites like Three Rivers which is about 90 km northeast of

Cottonwood in the Tularosa Basin and the Goodloe (Phillips) Petroglyph Site (LA

48270) north of Capitan and even possibly the Chupadero Region further north.

Kelley has already noted comparisons between ceramic images and rock art in

the Jornada-Mogollon (1990). The El Paso Archaeological Society has a collection of

sherds from the Cottonwood area which included a Chupadero Black on White whose

design is a disc with dots surrounding it (Figure 5). This is one of the figures Kelley

recognizes (1990: 306) and one that appears many times at Three Rivers as well as the

Goodloe (Phillips) Petroglyph Site. Although none were found at Cottonwood these

figures are found at other sites including: Three Rivers, Alamo Mountain (LA 9076)

,Cerro Indio (LA 287), Rio Bonito (LA 20301), Petro Shrine (LA 31771), China Draw (LA

72666), and Willow Hill (LA

99888). One such image is

found at the nearby

Summerford Mountain Site (LA

18405). Chupadero sherds at

Cottonwood have been given

date ranges of 1080-1550 A.D.

(Kemrer 2009: 85). These dates

are similar to those proposed

for the Jornada style rock art

(Schaafsma 1980:186).

Figure 5: Chupadero Black and White from LA 175

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The spine-like

outcrop where most of the

petroglyphs are found

faces south-southeast.

The panel facings

generally follow the

geology and also face the

San Andres Canyon

drainage which is a clear

pathway across the

mountains. Although there

are other rock outcroppings they may not have rock art on them due to their lower

elevation, facing direction,

distance from spring or

because the rock surface was

not as suitable for pecking.

The Desert Abstract style

images show little preference

in facing with many of the

images face up. Figure 6

shows the distribution of all

facings by area. From this

chart it appears that the

Figure 6: Facings – all images by area

Figure 7: Facing comparing styles

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majority of the petroglyphs face south/southeast. Figure 7 shows the differences in

facing by style. The Jornada images are more likely to be on the cliff faces as opposed

to the boulders. Another interesting note is that there are only a few panels that have

superimposition so it would appear that the Jornada-Mogollon rock art creators

purposely picked alternate rock faces for their images.

Each of the three areas is slightly different. Area A has 33 panels with a total of

101 elements, very few of which appear to be Desert Abstract Style. They are found at

elevations between 1510 and 1520 meters. Most of them are on the crest of a small hill

south of Cottonwood A, the large habitation site. The rest are found at the edge of the

drainage further south. Despite the small number of panels many are finely executed

including several faces

or masks and geometric

designs. One particularly

distinct continuous line

geometric design

appears that is similar to

ones from several other

sites including: Dripping

Springs (LA 97786) at the

South end of the Organ

Mountains (Bilbo 1985:57-58), Three Rivers, the Goodloe (Phillips) Petroglyph Site and

another near Sierra Blanca in west Texas. Figure 8 shows a tracing of that design, and

the facing diagram and View NX distribution map for Area A.

Figure 8: Area A Facing, View NX Map and example of

one outstandingly pecked geometric

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At 902 elements, Area B

has by far the most elements

as well as the most diversity

in imagery. The 247 rock art

panels are found between

1500 and 1540 meters along

the spine-like outcrop with a

scattering on the gentler

western slope. 67% of the

panels were Desert Abstract

Style and Area B was the only

area where cupules are found.

The majority of the 130 cupules

were found on the western

slope. Facing of panels is more

diverse than Area A or C.

Figure 9 shows tracings of one

of the complex Desert Abstract

designs and a cat paw as well

as the facing diagram and View

NX distribution map for Area B.

There is a architectural feature of about 13 rooms at the top of the hill above the

petroglyphs. Figure 10 shows a photo and tracing of one of the cupule boulders as well

Figure 9: Area B Facing, View NX Map and examples

of two panels – one Jornada and the other Desert

Abstract

Figure 10: Cupules at Area B

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as a chart comparing element counts (highlighting the cupules) and a View NX map of

the cupule panels. Many of the Desert Abstract Style images found in Area B are similar

to images from Glorieta Mesa (LA 57184 and 90032) which has been called part of the

widespread Western Archaic Tradition (Bock and Bock 1994). A common abstract motif

at both areas is the barred oval (see figure 3).

Besides having the most

Desert Abstract elements Area B

also has some especially

noteworthy Jornada images.

The cat paw figure showed in

Figure 9 has arcs and a line of

hatch marks below it that may

represent a rainbow and rainfall.

This image is very similar to one

in the Sierra Blanca Region

illustrated by Slifer (1998: Figure

235) at the Goodloe (Phillips) site.

But that image has a cloud terrace

with the hatch marks below and a

bird on top. If associated with the

agricultural site rain would likely be

an important part of ceremonial

activity. In addition to these cat

Figure 12: View NX distribution of Area

C and facing

Figure 11: Horned serpent imagery

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claws other probable rain imagery appears in Area B. Horned serpents or snakes are

one of the images often found at Jornada rock art sits and an outline of one was found

at Cottonwood. A very similar horned serpent was painted on a Chupadero Black and

White Miniature pitcher found near Bent New Mexico (Wiseman 1985:95). Wiseman

suggests that the horned serpent may represent water. Both of these figures are very

similar to the horned serpent pictograph found in Picture Cave on Ft. Bliss (41EP737) in

West Texas just east of El Paso. Figure 11 shows a photo of the petroglyph from

Cottonwood as well as drawings of the pitcher and the pictograph at Picture Cave. The

faces or masks and other Jornada imagery may also be part of this ceremonial activity.

While it is almost impossible to say what the meanings of the Desert Abstract Style

petroglyphs are they too may have been created as part of some ceremony but all of

these images played an

important part in the lives of the

hunter-gatherers and ancestral

Puebloan peoples. Future

research and publications will

feature more comparisons and

possible interpretations.

Area C is the farthest from

the spring and the large

Cottonwood pueblo. 87

panels, with a total of 251

elements are found on two

Figure 13: View NX distribution and examples of

faces or masks

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outcrops below what appears to be a possible shrine (Lekson and Rorex 1994:17) or

defensive structure. Figure 12 shows the two areas where the rock art is found and the

facing diagram for area C. Elevations for these images are between 1540-1590 meters.

68% of panels were Jornada style with the highest % of human figures of all the sites

and a large number of the tracks. Many of these images are “sketched” rather than

being well executed. Area C contains a large number of faces or masks especially

profile masks. Profile masks/faces are found elsewhere in this region but there are a

large number of them at Cottonwood. Although Three Rivers has over 17 times as many

total images both Cottonwood and Three Rivers have the same number of profile

face/masks. Figure 13 show a map of the distribution of faces or masks in area C along

with some examples. Of these profile masks 75% of them face right.

One of the most interesting images in Area C if not in the whole site is what we call

the “deer dancer” on our first visit in December 2009. I recognized the similarity

between this figure and the

Yaqui and Pueblo deer

dancer tradition. A drawing

of a similar figure from NAN

Ranch 49 (LA 73858)

appears also to have an

entire deer head

(Creel1989:82). Polly

Schaafsma shared her photo

of this site for the tracing in

Figure 14: Deer Dancer Images

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Figure 14. Early in 2011 I recognized the figure again at a difficult to see panel on a

talus slope on San Diego Mountain (LA# not yet assigned) which is southwest of

Cottonwood on the east side of the Rio Grande River. Figure 14 shows drawings of

some of the examples of this “deer dancing” imagery. Although there are a few other

sites with masks or faces with entire animal headdresses they are rare. Recent survey

work has located less than a dozen. Some are topped with canine heads or with bighorn

sheep heads but the majority of

horned figures has just the

horns and not the entire head.

Future research may locate

more such images. Since the

deer dance ceremony has been

historically recorded and is still

being practiced, ethnographic

study of this ceremony may help

us understand this site.

All three Cottonwood sites have a high percentage of tracks. 33% of the Jornada

style images at LA 175 are tracks and 70% of these are stylized “feline” or “road runner”

tracks (52 feline and 33 road runner). Felines don’t leave tracks with claw marks so

these images are suggestive of the feline paw rather than actual tracks. The “road

runner” tracks appear as incurved X’s and may represent zygodactyl feet which are an

arrangement of digits in birds, with two toes facing forward (digits 2 and 3) and two back

(digits 1 and 4). Although there are other zygodactyls in the area the mostly likely

Figure 15: Cat Claw Pairings

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depiction is the ever present and noticeable roadrunner. At Petroglyph National

Monument there are 1107 tracks out of 25,117 elements, (4.4% of the total) and of the

1107 tracks there are 11 which were identified as lion tracks (Milford Fletcher, personal

communication: 4/23/2010). At Three Rivers there were 1276 tracks and 28 of them

were identified as feline tracks (Crotty and Duran 1999). No differentiation was made at

Three Rivers or Petroglyph National Monument for “roadrunner tracks”. What could

account for this large percentage of tracks? Schaafsma suggests that these paired

tracks are associated with hunters or warriors (1989). Among the Hopi the lion is

associated with the War society (Schaafsma 1967:58). The petroglyphs of mountain

lions symbolized the predator. So why the roadrunner? It is known as a bird of courage

and for its tracks which are hard to follow since you don’t know whether they are coming

or going (Parsons 1939:233). Roadrunners are also known to kill rattlesnakes and look

like an arrow when running fast. It

is possible that these images were

made during stressful or war-like

times or in ceremonies for hunters.

During our initial visits we

thought that the cat paw and

roadrunner tracks were almost

always paired. After completing our

analysis we discovered there is a

close correlation but these tracks can also be closely associated with the faces or

masks. Area C had the most tracks of which 12 were paired feline and roadrunner

Figure 16: Cat Claws and Road runner tracks

in rock art and other media

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tracks, 3 paired roadrunner tracks, 4 paired feline and feline tracks and 8 feline tracks

paired with profile faces or masks. Figure 15 shows examples of these pairings.

Perhaps these profiled faces could also be associated with hunters or warriors or all the

images might have been part of some other ceremony. These paired tracks are also

found in many other sites in New Mexico and Texas including: Indian Springs Canyon

(LA 5225), Frying Pan Canyon (LA 5376), Fusselman Canyon (FB 10522), Picture Cave

(41EP737) and Hueco Tanks (41EP1). Five faces or masks at Three Rivers feature cat

paws and road runner tracks. Shaft smoothers and olivella beads were found with road

runner tracks and/or cat paws scratched into them at Escondida (CM:32:105:5:2), Hot

Well (FB 3636), near Dog Canyon and at Davis Dome (Green 1966). A shaft smoother

was also found at Cottonwood with a road runner track etched into it. Figure 16 shows

several examples of mountain lion related imagery and an abrader with a roadrunner

track scratched into it that was found at Cottonwood. It is not possible in a paper of this

length to fully discuss the comparisons of this element but it is a start at documenting

the distribution and attributes.

Comparisons of data for rock art sites are currently difficult at best. Many rock art

sites in this area have been photographed but few have had completely recorded. Little

empirical data for these is readily available for study. One site that has is Three Rivers,

New Mexico. Three Rivers has approximately 22,000 images. A database for the Three

Rivers element count was available but only in Lotus format so it required a translation

and reformatting. Figure 17 shows a comparison of categories from The Three Rivers

Petroglyph survey (Duran and Crotty 1994) and those of Cottonwood Springs. Some of

the differences between the two sites may occur because the categories used were

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slightly different but I have done my best to compare like categories. There is a higher

percent of linear designs and multiple element compositions at Cottonwood, possibly

due to the large Desert Abstract component. Complex Jornada geometric forms are

more prevalent at Three Rivers while the percent of human figures are about the same

at both sites. One striking difference at Cottonwood is the lack of animal figures that are

so typically seen at other Jornada-Mogollon Sites. Instead there are a very high

percentage of prints and tracks at LA 175. Probably due to the access restrictions for

Cottonwood another notable difference is the lack of historic or recent graffiti. One

element that is missing is the goggle-eyed anthropomorph that is frequently described

as one of the most prominent images of Jornada rock art (Crotty 1990; Jackson 1999;

and Schaafsma 1975).

Figure 17: Comparisons between categories for La 175 and

Three Rivers from Duran 1995: 54

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During our field work in this area we made a visit to the nearest rock art site which is

New Well. New Well is also on the JER and is north of Cottonwood Springs. We did a

preliminary survey of the rock art including photography and GPS. There were two small

areas with 11 panels (approximately 20 elements). These images were very similar to

the Jornada images at Cottonwood Springs and included the ubiquitous cat paws,

roadrunner tracks and faces or masks. New Well lacked the desert abstract/archaic

component.

The Summerford Mountain Archaeological District which is southwest of LA 175

includes sites with both Desert Abstract and Jornada style petroglyphs as well as some

pictographs. The majority of the twelve sites recorded were archaic with elements

similar to those at Cottonwood. Visits to these sites and a review of literature show

some similarities with LA 175. Some of the same elements of the Desert Abstract Style

appear in both of these areas but the degree of repatination in the Summerford

Mountains does not appear as heavy. This may be due to the difference in rock type

and orientation. There were a few Jornada Style images in this district but no cat paw,

roadrunner tracks or masks but like most Jornada sites there is one goggle-eyed

anthropomorph. LA 18405 did have paw prints but these lack the claws found at

Cottonwood Springs. Although completely documented no database was created for

these sites at the time of recording but its creation is currently in progress.

LeRoy and I began recording Cleofas Canyon in 2009 with Gary Hein, Dr. Beth

O’Leary and a small group of grad students from NMSU but our work at Cottonwood

Springs interrupted that project. The work that has been done shows that there are

some similarities between the two sites. Cleofas is predominately Desert Abstract Style

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and consists of three small areas with a few outlying boulders. The main area of rock art

at Cleofas is located in a shallow arroyo on low boulders where it is frequently scoured

by summer floods and is badly eroded. One possible goggle-eyed figure is found on the

rocks but it is badly worn so details are hard to see. The outlying boulders and one site

with a cliff face include a few distinct panels. These include elaborate geometric designs

that are probably Jornada Style along with several distinct cat paw images both of which

are similar to those found at Cottonwood Springs. Further documentation and analysis

of this site is planned for the end of 2012.

We have not yet visited the Cleofas Springs Sites so no comparisons can be made

at this time.

Keirn Hill, a small isolated site northwest of Cottonwood, is found in an unlikely place

amid a wide area whose only features appear to be clumps of creosote in a sea of sand.

All of the images there are heavily repatinated but this may be due to the fact that they

are on nearly flat surfaces and are constantly buffeted by blowing sand. All but one or

two appear to be Desert Abstract Style and those that are not are only vaguely Jornada

Style. In prehistoric times there was probably water in the nearby dry lakebed. Some of

the same Desert Abstract elements exist but not with the complexity found at

Cottonwood Springs.

An extensive rock art site is found along Lucero Arroyo west of the Summerford

Mountains just outside Radium Springs. The rock art, like at most of the other nearby

sites, includes Desert Abstract and Jornada style images and is on sandstone cliffs and

boulders and includes several large well executed panels. There are a few faces or

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masks, one of which closely resembles one from Cottonwood. A distinct panel at LA

66670 shows an anthropomorph in profile above a pronghorn and in the upper left hand

corner of that panel there is another profile mask that closely resembles one at

Cottonwood Springs. Here too we noticed a few cat paw images but the roadrunner

tracks are missing. The Dona Ana Archaeological Society recorded this site in 1991 but

not with the same detail used at Cottonwood. Additional documentation and analysis is

planned for 2012.

Along the San Andreas Mountains there are several canyons which create

natural ways to cross this barrier. Cottonwood is located on the west side of the

mountains along the San Andreas Canyon drainage. The next natural crossing place

north of San Andreas Canyon is Hembrillo Canyon. The Hembrillo Canyon rock art (LA

16291) is located along the east side of the mountains and includes at least two rock art

sites. Both of these have a small Desert Abstract component but are predominately

painted Apache imagery so are very different from the rock art found at Cottonwood.

Each of these rock art sites is unique and warrant further documentation and

analysis. The forms we used were developed over the years by many researchers and

have mostly been used by the ASNM-RA recording teams in the northern part of New

Mexico. Since there are differences between the two areas we hope to learn from their

work and provide feedback from our area to facilitate comparisons.

CONCLUSION

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The Cottonwood rock art area is a unique site with Desert Abstract and Jornada

Style images. The Desert Abstract images show little or no preference for facing while

the Jornada images do show what seems to be a more purposeful placement. While the

Desert Abstract style features many carefully executed abstract designs and cupules

the Jornada style includes a large number of prints and profile faces or masks. What is

sometimes equally as interesting is the absence of the goggle-eyes and animal imagery

found at most Jornada sites. The lack of graffiti at the site speaks to the protection it has

been given by being on the JER.

Kelley has already noted comparisons between ceramic images and rock art in

the Jornada-Mogollon region. Some tantalizing similarities have been noted but a more

systematic study is needed. These similarities have been noted in various publications

but few databases exist with information on rock art in Southern New Mexico so it

sometimes remains difficult to associate rock art with the other classes of artifacts. The

complete recording of rock art using photos, standardized forms and a database are the

first step in the process of comparisons and of understanding and protecting rock art.

Future research will include interpretive studies and more complete analysis of the

distribution of elements throughout the Jornada.

25

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

LeRoy and I would especially like to thank Meade Kemrer for inviting us to

photograph and record the rock art at Cottonwood and for his patience while we

completed our first rock art recording project under the auspices of ASNM-RAC.

Additionally I would like to acknowledge the Jornada-Experimental Range and David

Thatcher, Manager, JER headquarters for allowing us to be part of the Southern San

Andres Project. The Dona Ana Archaeological Society approved us as their chapter

representatives to the ASNM-RAC and provided us with funds for our mug board. Gary

Hein deserves special thanks for his mentorship and for his leadership as head of the

ASNM-RAC which provides us with guidelines. The El Paso Archaeological Society

granted us permission to cite from their publication (as did Dr. Steve Lekson) and to use

a photograph of one of the artifacts in their collection. Milford Fletcher of the

Albuquerque Archaeological Society provided distribution information about Petroglyph

National Park. Special thanks are due to Dave Kirkpatrick for providing me with the

Three Rivers database and to Robert Mark of Rupestrian Cyberservices who was able

to convert the Three Rivers Lotus database into excel. Additional thanks go to Polly

Schaafsma for the use of her photograph of the NAN Ranch deer dancer and for

feedback concerning the road runner and cat paw image combination. We were also

pleased to have Brian Halstead join us amidst his busy graduate school schedule.

26

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