Sacred Symbols From Ancient Times

Ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks here were made by pecking the rock surface with a hammerstone and are thought to be several thousand years old. Similar figures appear in many places in the northern Sierra Nevada, usually on gently sloping granite polished by glaciers. Common shapes include circles, zigzags, and wavy lines, while human and animal forms such as stick figures and tracks are less common. Some sites have only a single element, but this one may contain hundreds of individual elements. Their meaning is unknown, though current studies suggest they were linked to the spiritual and ceremonial life of the people who created them. Wa She Shu created these petroglyphs. This pass was the main corridor for travel to and from Lake Tahoe, Da ow a ga. Gathering places were numerous in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and trade in food, arts and crafts, clothing materials, and other essentials took place in prominent places along the trail. The place was probably sacred for the people who created these figures.

Soda Springs, California · United States