A petroglyph is an

image An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be Two-dimensional space, two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or Three-dimensional space, three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be di ...

created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images. Petroglyphs, estimated to be 20,000 years old are classified as protected monuments and have been added to the tentative list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Petroglyphs are found worldwide, and are often associated with prehistoric peoples. The word comes from the Greek prefix , from meaning " stone", and meaning "carve", and was originally coined in French as . In scholarly texts, a ''petroglyph'' is a rock engraving, whereas a '' petrograph'' (or ''pictograph'') is a rock painting. In common usage, the words are sometimes used interchangeably. Both types of image belong to the wider and more general category of rock art or parietal art. Petroforms, or patterns and shapes made by many large rocks and boulders over the ground, are also quite different. Inuksuk are not petroglyphs, but human-made rock forms found in Arctic regions.

History

Petroglyphs have been found in all parts of the globe except

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

, with highest concentrations in parts of Africa, Scandinavia and Siberia, many examples of petroglyphs found globally are dated to approximately the Neolithic and late Upper Paleolithic boundary (roughly 10,000 to 12,000 years ago). Around 7,000 to 9,000 years ago, following the introduction of a number of precursors of

writing system A writing system comprises a set of symbols, called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which the script represents a particular language. The earliest writing appeared during the late 4th millennium BC. Throughout history, each independen ...

s, the existence and creation of petroglyphs began to suffer and tail off, with different forms of art, such as pictographs and ideograms, taking their place. However, petroglyphs continued to be created and remained somewhat common, with various cultures continuing to use them for differing lengths of time, including cultures who continued to create them until contact with Western culture was made in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Interpretation

Many hypotheses exist as to the purpose of petroglyphs, depending on their location, age, and subject matter. Some petroglyph images most likely held a deep cultural and religious significance for the societies that created them. Many petroglyphs are thought to represent a type of symbolic or ritualistic language or communication style that remains not fully understood. Others, such as geocontourglyphs, more clearly depict or represent a landform or the surrounding terrain, such as rivers and other geographic features. Some petroglyph maps, depicting trails, as well as containing symbols communicating the time and distances travelled along those trails, exist; other petroglyph maps act as astronomical markers. As well as holding geographic and astronomical importance, other petroglyphs may also have been a by-product of various rituals: sites in India, for example, have seen some petroglyphs identified as musical instruments or " rock gongs". Some petroglyphs likely formed types of symbolic communication, such as types of proto-writing. Later glyphs from the Nordic Bronze Age in Scandinavia seem to refer to some form of territorial boundary between tribes, in addition to holding possible religious meanings. Petroglyph styles have been recognised as having local or regional "dialects" from similar or neighboring peoples. Siberian inscriptions loosely resemble an early form of

runes Runes are the Letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets, known as runic rows, runic alphabets or futharks (also, see ''#Futharks, futhark'' vs ''#Runic alphabets, runic alphabet''), native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were ...

, although no direct relationship has been established. Petroglyphs from different continents show similarities. While people would be inspired by their direct surroundings, it is harder to explain the common styles. This could be mere coincidence, an indication that certain groups of people migrated widely from some initial common area, or indication of a common origin. In 1853, George Tate presented a paper to the Berwick Naturalists' Club, at which a John Collingwood Bruce agreed that the carvings had "... a common origin, and indicate a symbolic meaning, representing some popular thought." In his cataloguing of Scottish rock art, Ronald Morris summarized 104 different theories on their interpretation. Other theories suggest that petroglyphs were carved by spiritual leaders, such as shamans, in an altered state of consciousness, perhaps induced by the use of natural hallucinogens. Many of the geometric patterns (known as form constants) which recur in petroglyphs and cave paintings have been shown by David Lewis-Williams to be hardwired into the human brain. They frequently occur in visual disturbances and hallucinations brought on by drugs, migraine, and other stimuli. The Rock Art Research Institute (RARI) of the University of the Witwatersrand studies present-day links between religion and rock art among the San people of the Kalahari Desert. Though the San people's artworks are predominantly paintings, the beliefs behind them can perhaps be used as a basis for understanding other types of rock art, including petroglyphs. To quote from the RARI website:

Using knowledge of San beliefs, researchers have shown that the art played a fundamental part in the religious lives of its painters. The art captured things from the San's world behind the rock-face: the other world inhabited by spirit creatures, to which dancers could travel in animal form, and where people of ecstasy could draw power and bring it back for healing, rain-making and capturing the game.

List of petroglyph sites

Africa

Algeria

* Tassili n'Ajjer

Cameroon

* Bidzar

Central African Republic

* Bambari, Lengo and Bangassou in the south; Bwale in the west * Toulou * Djebel Mela * Koumbala

Chad

* Niola Doa

Republic of the Congo

* The Niari Valley, 250 km south west of Brazzaville

Egypt

* Qurta, on the east bank of the

Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...

River in the upper Nile valley, has Nubian Sandstone formations featuring the first and earliest known examples of petroglyphs in the region of

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

, dating back to 19–15,000 years BP * Wadi Hammamat in Qift, many carvings and inscriptions dating from before the earliest Egyptian Dynasties to the modern era, including the only painted petroglyph known from the Eastern Desert and drawings of Egyptian reed boats dated to 4000 BCE * Inscription Rock in South Sinai, is a large rock with carvings and writings ranging from Nabatean to Latin, Ancient Greek and Crusader eras located a few miles from the Ain Hudra Oasis. A second rock sites approximately 1 km from the main rock near the Nabatean tombs of Nawamis with carvings of animals including Camels, Gazelles and others. The original archaeologists who investigated these in the 1800s have also left their names carved on this rock. * Giraffe petroglyphs found in the region of Gebel el-Silsila. The rock faces have been used for extensive quarrying of materials for temple building especially during the period specified as the New Kingdom. The Giraffe depictions are located near a stela of the king Amenhotep IV. The images are not dated, but they are probably dated from the Predynastic periods.

Ethiopia

* Tiya

Gabon

* Ogooue River Valley * Epona * Elarmekora * Kongo Boumba * Lindili * Kaya Kaya

Libya

* Akakus * Jebel Uweinat

Morocco

* The Draa River valley. * Taouz. * Akka * Smara

Namibia

* Twyfelfontein

Niger

* Life-size giraffe carvings on Dabous Rock, Aïr Mountains

South Africa

* Driekops Eiland near Kimberley * ǀXam and ǂKhomani heartland in the Karoo, Northern Cape * Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre near Kimberley, Northern Cape * Keiskie near

Calvinia Calvinia is a regional town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa named after the French people, French religious reformer Jean Calvin. The town falls under the Hantam Local Municipality which forms part of the Namakwa District Municipalit ...

, Northern Cape Tunisia * Ouesslat Mountain, Ain Kanfous and Zamla * Tameghza * The Tataouine Region, in particular Ghomrassen and Smar

Zambia

* Nyambwezi Falls in the north-west province.

Asia

File:Cheung Chau Rock Carving 1.jpg, Rock carving on Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong File:KyrgyzPetroglyphs.jpg, Petroglyphs at Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan File:Tanbaly.jpg, Tamgaly petroglyphs in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

File:Buddhas at ili.jpg, Buddhist carvings at Ili River in

File:Angono Petroglyphs1.jpg, Petroglyphs on a rock wall found in the Sierra Madre mountain range, Rizal,

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

File:Petoro.JPG, Petroglyph found in Awashima shrine (Japan)

Armenia

* Ughtasar * Paytasar * Urtsadzor * Aragats * Gegham mountains * Vardenis ridge * See also Armenian Eternity sign

Azerbaijan

* Gobustan State Reserve * Gemigaya * Kalbajar * Northern Absheron

China

* Helan Mountains in Yinchuan * Hua'an Engravings * Kangjia shimenzi in Xinjiang * Lianyungan Rock Engravings * Petroglyphs in Zhuhai * Yin Mountains in Inner Mongolia * Chifeng Petroglyphs in Inner Mongolia

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

, India. * Yogimatha rock painting , Nuapada District, Odisha, India. * Kupgal petroglyphs on Dolerite Dyke, near Bellary,

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

, India. * Kudopi, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India. * Konkan Petroglyphs, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India. * Hiwale, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India. * Barsu, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, India. * Devihasol, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, India * Edakkal Caves, Wayanad District,

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, India. * Kollur, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu 35 km from Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. A large

dolmen A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...

with four petroglyphs that portray men with trident and a wheel with spokes has been found. The discovery was made by K.T. Gandhirajan. This is the second instance when a dolmen with petrographs has been found in Tamil Nadu, India. In October 2018, petroglyphs were discovered in the Ratnagiri and Rajapur areas in the Konkan region of western Maharashtra. Those rock carvings which might date back to 10,000 BC, depict animals like hippopotamuses and rhinoceroses which are not found in that region of India. Some carving depicts, what appears to be Pisces constellation. * Perumukkal, Tindivanam District, Tamil Nadu, India. * Unakoti near Kailashahar in North Tripura District, Tripura, India. * Usgalimal rock engravings, Kushavati river banks, in Goa * Ladakhi rock art in Ladakh, NW Indian Himalaya. * Ratnagiri Maharashtra Petroglyphs, An eight ftlong petroglyph in Devache Gothane village in Rajapur district, Maharashtra. Petroglyphs In Maharashtra

. Kethaiyurumpu, Tamil Nadu. Situated 28 km north west of Dindigal, Tamil Nadu nearby Idaiyakottai and six km south west of Oddanchartam has revealed several petroglyphs mostly represent abstract symbols on two rocks, which looks like a temporary rock shelter were noticed adjacent to a Murugan temple which is in ruins on top of the Kothaiyurumbu hill.

Iran

During recent years a large number of rock carvings has been identified in different parts of Iran. The vast majority depict the ibex. Rock drawings were found in December 2016 near Golpayegan,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, which may be the oldest drawings discovered, with one cluster possibly 40,000 years old. Accurate estimations were unavailable due to US sanctions. The oldest pictographs in Iran are seen in Yafteh cave in Lorestan that date back 40,000 and the oldest petroglyph discovered belongs to Timareh dating back to 40,800 years ago. Iran provides demonstrations of script formation from pictogram, ideogram, linear (2300 BC) or proto Elamite, geometric old Elamite script, Pahlevi script, Arabic script (906 years ago), Kufi script, and Farsi script back to at least 250 years ago. More than 50000 petroglyphs have been discovered, extended over all Iran's states.

Israel

* Kibbutz Ginosar * Har Karkom * Negev

Japan

* Awashima shrine ( Kitakyūshū city)Nobuhiro, Yoshida (1994) ''The Handbook For Petrograph Fieldwork'', Chou Art Publishing, , p. 57 * Fugoppe Cave, Hokkaido * Hikoshima ( Shimonoseki city) * Miyajima * Temiya cave ( Otaru city)

Jordan

* Wadi Rum * Wadi Faynan

Kazakhstan

* Koksu River, in Almaty Province * Chumysh River basin, * Tamgaly Tas on the Ili River * Tamgaly – a World Heritage Site nearly of Almaty

Laos

* Plain of Jars

South Korea

* Bangudae Petroglyphs

Kyrgyzstan

* Several sites in the Tien Shan mountains: Cholpon-Ata, the Talas valley, Saimaluu Tash, and on the rock outcrop called Suleiman's Throne in Osh in the Fergana valley

Macau

* Coloane

Malaysia

* Lumuyu Petroglyphs

Mongolia

* Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai, UNESCO World Heritage site, 2011 * Petroglyphs found in the area of Bayan-Ovoo.

Pakistan

* Ancient Rock Carvings of Sindh * Rock art and petroglyphs in Northern Areas,

Philippines

* Angono Petroglyphs of Rizal,

Saudi Arabia

File:وادي قرن.jpg, Petroglyphs at Wadi Qarn. File:Madain Saleh (6720062703).jpg, Petroglyphs at Mada'in Salih. File:Inscriptions of musical instruments in Hejaz.jpg, Petroglyphs of musical instruments. File:جبال حرة.jpg, Petroglyphs of animals, Tabuk. File:جيال الزيدانية النقش الهيروغليفي.jpg, Hieroglyphic inscriptions, Tabuk. File:نقوش جبل كويفر الاسلامية.jpg, Islamic inscriptions, Qasim. File:جبل دويدة.jpg, Thamudic inscriptions. * "Graffiti Rocks", about 110 km SW of Riyadh off the Mecca highway * Arwa, west of Riyadh * al Jawf, near al Jawf * al Jawf, Camel Carving Site * Jubbah, Umm Samnan, north of Hail * Janin Cave, south of Hail * Yatib, south of Hail * Milihiya, south of Hail * Jebel al Lawz, north of Tabuk * Wadi Damm, near Tabuk * Wadi Abu Oud, near al Ula * Shuwaymis, north of Madina * Jebel al Manjour & Ratt, north of Madina * Hanakiya, north of Madina * Shimli * Bir Hima, north of Najran * Tathleeth, north of Najran * Al-Magar, in Najd

Taiwan

* The Wanshan Rock Carvings Archeological Site near Maolin District, Kaohsiung, were discovered between 1978 and 2002.

Thailand

* Pha Taem National Park

Vietnam

* Rock engravings in Sapa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai Province * Rock engravings in Namdan, Xín Mần District, Hà Giang Province

Yemen

* Eriosh Petroglyphs, island of Socotra

Europe

File:Sweden-Brastad-Petroglyph Skomakaren-Aug 2003.jpg, Carving "The Shoemaker", Brastad, Sweden File:Petroglifo bentayga.jpg, Petroglyph in Roque Bentayga, Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). File:DalgarvenMillCup&Ring.jpg, Petroglyph at Dalgarven Mill, Ayrshire, Scotland. File:Petroglifos do Castrinho de Conxo.jpg, Bronze Age petroglyphs depicting weapons, Castriño de Conxo, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. File:Labirinto do Outeiro do Cribo.JPG, Labyrinth, Meis, Galicia. File:Laxe das Rodas 01.jpg, Cup-and-ring mark, Louro, Muros, Galicia. File:Touron petr.JPG, Deer and cup-and-ring motifs, Tourón, Ponte Caldelas, Galicia. File:Petroglyphs in Zalavruga, Belomorsk, Karelia, Russia 03.jpg, Petroglyphs in Zalavruga, Belomorsk, Karelia, Russia

England

* Boscawen-un, St Buryan * Cup and ring marked rocks in: ** Northumberland, ** County Durham, ** Ilkley Moor, Yorkshire, ** Gardom's Edge, Derbyshire, ** Creswell Crags, Nottingham

Finland

* Hauensuoli, Hanko, Finland

France

* Prehistoric rock engravings of the Fontainebleau Forest * Vallée des Merveilles, Mercantour National Park, France File:Vallée des Merveilles 103.jpg, The sorcerer, Vallée des Merveilles, France File:Vallée des Merveilles 101.jpg, The tribe master, Vallée des Merveilles, France

Ireland

* Newgrange * Knowth * Dowth * Loughcrew * Tara * Clonfinlough Stone * Boheh Stone

Italy

* Rock Drawings in Valcamonica – World Heritage Site, Italy (biggest European site, over 350,000) * Bagnolo stele, Valcamonica, Italy * Grotta del Genovese,

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, Italy * Grotta dell'Addaura,

, Italy * Rock Engravings in Grosio (in Valtellina), Italy File:Parco Grosio La Rupe Magna.jpg, Grosio - Rupe Magna File:Parco Grosio Rupe Magna 5.jpg, Grosio - Rupe Magna File:Parco Grosio Rupe Magna 3.jpg, Grosio - Rupe Magna

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

* Knockmany File:Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland left.jpg, Leftmost of three central stones, Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone File:Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland centre.jpg, Central of three central stones, Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone File:Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland right.JPG, A stone on the right of the passage, Knockmany Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone * Sess Kilgreen File:Sess kilgreen 1.jpg, Sess Kilgreen Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone File:Sess kilgreen 2.jpg, Sess Kilgreen Chambered Tomb, Co. Tyrone

Norway

* Rock carvings at Alta, World Heritage Site (1985) * Rock carvings in Central Norway * Rock carvings at Møllerstufossen * Rock carvings at Tennes

Portugal

* Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley, Portugal File:Rock Art Foz Coa 01.jpg, Various zoomorphic creatures, including in particular, a horse File:Rock Art Foz Coa 03.jpg, Paleolithic rock engravings breaking the natural rock formation File:Prehistoric Rock-Art Site of the Côa Valley - Penascosa - Bull @ 2011-08-06.jpg, Various zoomorphic creatures, including in particular, a Bull

Scotland

* Museum of Ayrshire Country Life and Costume, North Ayrshire * Burghead Bull, Burghead *

Townhead Townhead (, ) is a district within the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of Glasgow's oldest areas, and contains two of its major surviving medieval landmarks – Glasgow Cathedral and the Provand's Lordship. In medieval times, Townhead was ...

, Galloway * Ballochmyle cup and ring marks

Spain

* Petroglyphs from Galicia * Petroglyphs from the Canary Islands (Spain)

Russia

* White Sea petroglyphs, Republic of Karelia, Russia * Petroglyph Park near Petrozavodsk– Lake Onega, Russia * Tomskaya Pisanitsa * Kanozero Petroglyphs * Sikachi-Alyan, Khabarovsk Krai * Kapova cave, Bashkortostan * Sunduki Petroglyphs, Khakassia

Sweden

* Tanumshede ( Bohuslän); World Heritage Site (1994) * Himmelstalund (by Norrköping in Östergötland) * Enköping ( Uppland) * Southwest Skåne ( Götaland) * Alvhem ( Västra Götaland) * Torhamn ( Blekinge) * Nämforsen ( Ångermanland) * Häljesta ( Västmanland) * Slagsta (

Södermanland Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...

) * Glösa ( Jämtland) * Gärde ( Jämtland) * Flatruet ( Härjedalen) * Grannberget ( Härjedalen) * The King's Grave at Kivik * Fäbodristning from Dalarna * Norrforsen ( Umeå) * Släbro rock carvings in Nyköping (

)

Turkey

* Kagizman, Kars * Cunni Cave, Erzurum * Esatli, Ordu * Gevaruk Valley, Hakkâri * Hakkari Trisin, Hakkâri * Latmos / Beşparmak * Güdül,

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

Ukraine

* Kamyana Mohyla, Zaporizhzhia Oblast * Kurgan stelae

Wales

* Garn Turne,

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

Central and South America and the Caribbean

Argentina

* Cueva de las Manos, Santa Cruz * Talampaya National Park, La Rioja * Lihué Calel National Park, La Pampa File:Talampaya petroglyphs (1).jpg, Talampaya National Park, La Rioja Province, Argentina File:Petroglifo001.jpg, Petroglyph on Tunduqueral hill at Uspallata, Argentina

Aruba

* Arikok National Park * Quadiriki Caves * Ayo Rock Formations

Brazil

The oldest reliably dated rock art in the Americas is known as the "Horny Little Man." It is petroglyph depicting a stick figure with an oversized phallus and carved in Lapa do Santo, a cave in central-eastern Brazil and dates from 12,000 to 9,000 years ago. * Serra da Capivara National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Piauí * Vale do Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco * Ingá Stone, Paraíba * Costao do Santinho, Santa Catarina * Lagoa Santa (Holy Lake), Minas Gerais * Ivolandia, Goiás File:Serra da Capivara - Painting 7.JPG, Capivara National Park, Piauí, Brazil File:Ivolandia Rupestres 11.JPG, Ivolandia, Goiás, Brazil File:Figuras rupestres, Costão do Santinho, Florianópolis 2.JPG, Costao do Santinho, SC, Brazil

Chile

* Rincón las Chilcas, Combarbalá * Easter Island petroglyphs File:Settlers at La Silla.jpg, Numerous rocks boasting thousand-year-old carvings. File:Llamas at La Silla.jpg, Llamas at La Silla File:Motu Nui.jpg, Petroglyphs at Orongo, Rapa Nui (Easter Island). A Makemake and two birdmen higher up

Colombia

* El Abra, Cundinamarca * Chiribiquete Natural National Park File:Alb.jpg, El Abra archaeological site, Cundinamarca File:Chiribiquete petroglyph 1.jpg, Petroglyph in the Chiribiquete Natural National Park. (Possible equine) File:Chiribiquete petroglyph 2.jpg, Petroglyph in the Chiribiquete Natural National Park. Aboriginal. File:Chiribiquete AJ11calabazos.JPG, Petroglyphs in the Chiribiquete Natural National Park.

Costa Rica

* Rincon de la Vieja, Guanacaste

Dominican Republic

* Cueva de las Maravillas, San Pedro de Macorís * Las Caritas, near Lake Enriquillo * Los Tres Ojos, Santo Domingo

Grenada

* Mt. Rich Petroglyphs

Montserrat

* Soldier Ghaut petroglyphs

Nicaragua

* El Ceibo Petroglyphs, Ometepe, Rivas * Ometepe Petroglyphs, Ometepe, Rivas

Paraguay

* Amambay Department

Peru

* Cumbe Mayo, Cajamarca * Petroglyphs of Pusharo, Manú National Park, Madre de Dios region * Petroglyphs of Quiaca, Puno Region * Petroglyphs of Jinkiori, Cusco Region * Toro Muerto, Arequipa Region

Saint Kitts and Nevis

* Carib Petroglyphs, Wingfield Manor Estate, Saint Kitts

Suriname

* Corantijn Basin

Trinidad and Tobago

* Caurita Caurita Petroglyph

Venezuela

* Caicara del Orinoco, Bolívar * Morrocoy National Park, Falcón * Piedra Pintada Archeological Park within San Esteban National Park, Guaraca, Carabobo * Sardinata Beach, Amazonas * Taima Taima, Falcón

North America

Canada

* Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia * Petroglyph Provincial Park, Nanaimo,

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

* Petroglyphs Provincial Park, north of Peterborough, Ontario * Agnes Lake, Quetico Provincial Park, Ontario * Sproat Lake Provincial Park, near Port Alberni,

* Stuart Lake,

* St. Victor Provincial Park,

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

* Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, east of Milk River, Alberta * Gabriola Island, British Columbia * East Sooke Regional Park, British Columbia * Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre, Herschel Saskatchewan * Lake Temagami, Ontario

Mexico

* Boca de Potrerillos, Mina, Nuevo León * Chiquihuitillos, Mina, Nuevo León * Cuenca del Río Victoria, near Xichú, Guanajuato *

Coahuiltecan The Coahuiltecan were various small, autonomous bands of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native Americans who inhabited the Rio Grande valley in what is now northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. The various Coahuiltecan groups were hunter ga ...

Cueva Ahumada, Nuevo León * La Proveedora, Caborca, Sonora * Samalayuca, Juarez, Chihuahua * Las Labradas, near Mazatlán, Sinaloa

United States

Petroglyph on the western coast of Hawaii

Petroglyph Point at Mesa Verde National Park by RO

* Arches National Park,

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

* Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico * Barnesville Petroglyph,

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

* Bloomington Petroglyph Park, Utah *

Capitol Reef National Park Capitol Reef National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in south-central Utah. The park is approximately long on its northsouth axis and just wide on average. The park was established in ...

* Caguana Indian Park, Utuado, Puerto Rico * Columbia Hills State Park, Washington * Corn Springs, Colorado Desert,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

* Coso Rock Art District, Coso Range, northern Mojave Desert,

* Death Valley National Park,

* Dinosaur National Monument,

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

and

* Dighton Rock, Massachusetts * Dominguez Canyon Wilderness,

* Fremont Indian State Park

* Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park Washington * Grand Traverse Bay

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

* Great Basin National Park Nevada * Grimes Point, Nevada * Independence Slab,

* Inscription Rock (Kelleys Island, Ohio),

* Jeffers Petroglyphs, Minnesota * Judaculla Rock,

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

* Kanopolis State Park, Kansas * La Cueva del Indio (Indians Cave), Arecibo, Puerto Rico * La Piedra Escrita (The Written Rock), Jayuya, Puerto Rico * Lava Beds National Monument, Tule Lake, California * Legend Rock Petroglyph Site, Thermopolis, Wyoming * Lemonweir Glyphs, Wisconsin * Leo Petroglyph, Leo,

* Mammoth Cave National Park,

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

* Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado * Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument,

* Olympic National Park, Washington * Paintlick Mountain, Tazewell,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

* Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas * Petrified Forest National Park Arizona * Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico * Picacho Mountain, Picacho Arizona * Picture Canyon, Flagstaff, Arizona * Picture Rocks, Picture Rocks, Arizona * Puye Cliff Dwellings, New Mexico * Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada * Rochester Rock Art Panel,

* Ring Mountain, Marin County, California * Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands * Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park, Sanilac County, Michigan * Sedona, Arizona * Seminole Canyon, Texas * Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada * South Mountain Park, Arizona * The Cove Palisades State Park, Oregon * Three Rivers Petroglyphs, New MexicoThree Rivers Petroglyph Site
. Nm.blm.gov (2012-09-13). Retrieved on 2013-02-12. * Tibes Indian Park, Ponce, Puerto Rico * Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada * Washington State Park, Washington County, Missouri * West Virginia glyphs *

White Mountain (Wyoming) image:WhiteMountainWY2.jpg, The central portion of the mountain, from Rock Springs, Wyoming White Mountain is a long mountain located in central Sweetwater County, Wyoming, near the cities of Rock Springs and Green River, Wyoming, Green River. T ...

, Rock Springs, Wyoming * White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Waddell, Arizona * Winnemucca Lake, Nevada * Writing Rock State Historical Site, North Dakota * Monolyth at Caguas & El Yunque, Puerto Rico * Track Rock, Union County Georgia * Forsyth Petroglyph Originally discovered, locates and documented near Cumming, Georgia in Forsyth County but has been relocated to the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia File:Petroglyphs on a Bishop Tuff tableland-750px.jpg, Petroglyphs on a Bishop Tuff tableland, eastern

File:Petroglyph 2 tds.jpg, Southern

File:Petroglyphs tds.jpg, Southern

File:Petroglyphs in Bryce Canyon.jpg,

File:Ute Petroglyphs in Arches National Park.jpg, Arches National Park File:Tracks at Barnesville Petroglyph.JPG, Animal print carvings outside of Barnesville, Ohio File:Petroglyph in Arizona 2007-01-20.jpg, Arizona File:Picacho Petroglyph.jpg, Picacho Mountain Petroglyphs File:Petroglyphs in the Columbia River Gorge.jpg, Columbia River Gorge, Washington File:Upside down.jpg, Upside-down man in Western

File:RochesterPanel 01 2008.JPG, Rochester Rock Art Panel in the San Rafael Swell in

File:Spiderweb petroglyph on the Waterfall Trail in the White Tank Mountains, Arizonia.jpg, Web-like petroglyph on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park Waterfall Trail, Arizona File:Chipping petroglyph on Waterfall Trail in the White Tank Mountains.jpg, Chipping petroglyph on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park Waterfall Trail, Arizona File:Arizona petroglyph 1117.JPG, Sample of petroglyphs at Painted Rock near Gila Bend, Arizona off Interstate 8. File:Puye 1.jpg, Puye Cliff Dwellings, New Mexico File:ThunderBird Rock Carved Petroglyph at Twin Buffs.jpg, ThunderBird Rock Carved Petroglyph in West Central Wisconsin File:Sanilac Petroglyphs - Archer.jpg, Archer-like figure, Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park, Sanilac County, Michigan File:Sky Rock.jpg, Sky Rock Petroglyphs, Bishop, California. File:Sky Rock paint.jpg, Sky Rock Petroglyphs, Bishop, California.

Oceania

Australia

* Arnhem Land / Kakadu National Park, Northern Australia * Kings Canyon Resort / Watarrka National Park, Northern Australia * Gosford Glyphs in Central Coast, NSW (widely regarded as archaeological forgery) * Murujuga,

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

– world heritage assessed * Sydney Rock Engravings, New South Wales File:Petroglyphmanandwoman.jpg, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales File:Ku-ring-gai Chase - petroglyph.jpg, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales File:Petroglyph - well endowed.JPG, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales File:Mutawintji National Park Petroglyph.JPG, Mutawintji National Park, New South Wales File:Burrup rock art.JPG, Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia

References

* Harmanşah, Ömür (ed) (2014), ''Of Rocks and Water: An Archaeology of Place'', 2014, Oxbow Books, , 9781782976745 * Rawson, Jessica (ed). ''The British Museum Book of Chinese Art'', 2007 (2nd edn), British Museum Press, * Sickman, Laurence, in: Sickman L. & Soper A., ''The Art and Architecture of China'', Pelican History of Art, 3rd ed 1971, Penguin (now Yale History of Art), LOC 70-125675

External links

Rock Art Studies: A Bibliographic Database
Bancroft Library's citations to rock art literature. {{Authority control Rock art