The Mysterious "Rock-Writings"

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS LEGEND

ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS ON AMERICAN STONES WHAT MESSAGE IS CONTAINED IN THE MANY PETROGLYPHS FOUND HERE?

MODERN NAVAJO WEAVING ANCIENT ART SURVIVES, YES, EVEN FLOURISHES IN OUR MOST MODERN AGE THE LAND WISDOM OF THE INDIANS A CHAPTER FROM STEWART UDALL'S SCHOLARLY BOOK "THE QUIET CRISIS"

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is published monthly by the Arizona Highway Department a few miles north of the confluence of the Gila and Salt in Arizona. Address: ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, 2039 W. Lewis Ave., Phoenix, Arizona, 85009. $4.00 per year in U.S. and possessions; $5.00 elsewhere; 50 cents each. Second Class Postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona, under Act of March 3, 1879. Copyrighted, 1964, by the Arizona Highway Department. All rights reserved.

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COLOR CLASSICS FROM ARIZONA HIGHWAYS THIS ISSUE

35mm. slides in 2" mounts, 1 to 15 slides, 40c each; 16 to 49 slides, 35c each; 50 or more, 3 for $1.00. Catalog of previous slides issued available on request. Address: ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Phoenix, Arizona 85009.

IN-114 Navajo Weaver, cov. 1; CB-120 Petroglyphs and Cactus Blossoms, cov. 2; IN-115 Indian Jewelry Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Santo Domingo, cov. 3;. IN-116 Navajo Silversmith Ambrose Roan Horse, cov. 4; FOLLOWING SLIDES: NAVAJO RUGS: IN-117 Lukachukai - Greasewood Yei, p. 13; IN-118 Farmington Shiprock Yei, p. 13; IN-119 Wide Ruins, p. 14; IN-120 Two Gray Hills, p. 14; IN-121 Western Reservation Raised Outline, p. 14; IN-122 Crystal, p. 14; IN-123 Sand Painting Rug Shooting Chant, p. 15; IN-124 Tuba City Storm Pattern, p. 16; IN-125 Two Faced Rug, p. 16; IN-126 Picture Rug, p. 16; IN-127 Ganado, p. 16; IN-128 Crystal, p. 17; IN-129 Chief, p. 18; IN-130 Kayenta, p. 18; IN-131 Teec Nos Pos, p. 18; IN-132 Chinle, p. 18; IN-133 Twill Weave Saddle Blanket, p. 18; IN-134 Ganado, p. 19; IN-135 Farmington Shiprock Yei, p. 19; IN-136 Early Navajo Wearing Apparel, p. 19; CC-31 Canyon Vista Canyon de Chelly, p. 20; IN-137 Going To Market, p. 21; Ve112 The Big and Empty Land, p. 22-23; IN-138 Grazing Sheep in Navajoland, p. 24-25; IN-139 Chinle Wash from Poncho House, p. 26; IN-140 Morning in Navajoland, p. 26; V-113 Northern Arizona Skyscape, p. 27; IN-141 Storm Clouds in Navajoland, p. 28.

If you wander long enough and far enough through our wonderful Southwest, you'll find literally thousands of petroglyphs (“rock-writings”) along our water-ways and even in more remote places. You will find them intriguing. Who carved them? When? Why?

Our dear friend, William Coxon, a prominent Arizonan who died in August, 1963, spent almost a half of a lifetime in their pursuit. First “rock-writings” became his hobby; then a passion. He searched them out throughout the entire length of the Gila River, all over the Southwest, Mexico, Ireland, Egypt, Hawaii, Canada, and then by correspondence with other interested persons, New Zealand and in remote islands in the South Pacific.

When he appealed to learned scholars for an explanation, he was told they were merely “idle doodlings.” One day, equipped with a heavy hammer and steel chisel, we ventured forth into the desert and found a large rock on which we planned to carve our initials. That afternoon, in the hot sun, we learned one thing: if “rock-writing” was “idle doodling” it was the most laborious and arduous “doodling” in the history of mankind.

As his research continued, Billy Coxon was amazed to find that the same symbols he found on rocks along the Gila and in other parts of the Southwest appeared along rivers in Ireland, along the Nile, and in many other places on this happy-go-lucky planet. Again we ask: Who? When? and Why?

Billy (May his soul rest in peace!) is with us this issue in an article devoted to “rock-writings.” It's a provocative and perhaps argumentive article, but never dull, and at least it gives some profound thoughts on a study that one man traveled many miles and spent many years to pursue.

In another feature, we bring you “Modern Navajo Weaving.” A fine native art is not “lost,” we assure you. Some very beautiful things are this very day coming out of the Reservation, perhaps some of the finest the Navajos have ever produced. R.C.