Perhaps a thousand years ago, someone climbed to the cliff face above, a stone tool in hand. Selecting an area of the sandstone darkened by minerals, that person began to chip away at the rock. After hours of chipping and carving, the image of a bighorn sheep began to take shape.
Today we marvel at these images and wonder about the Fremont people who etched this rock. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Fremont were in the Dinosaur area for about 600 years, but their fate is unclear.
Drought or the arrival of a new group of people may have caused the Fremont to leave. Or they may have remained in the area, but changed their lifestyle after mixing with other cultures. Whatever the case, it's difficult to trace the Fremont as a distinct culture in the archaeological record after about 1200.
Petroglyphs are patterns or figures that have been chipped or carved into the rock. The Fremont people, who lived here between 550 and 1200, created these petroglyphs.
These fragile petroglyphs can never be replaced. Do your part to protect them. Do not touch: the oils on our hands erode the petroglyphs. Do not trace or rub the petroglyphs: the soft sandstone rock is easily damaged.
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