Painted Rock is a smooth horseshoe-shaped marine

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

rock formation with

pictograph A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and gr ...

rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

about 250 feet across and 45 feet tall near

Soda Lake A soda lake or alkaline lake is a lake on the strongly alkaline side of neutrality, typically with a pH value between 9 and 12. They are characterized by high concentrations of carbonate salts, typically sodium carbonate (and related salt complex ...

within the Carrizo Plain National Monument on the southwest side of the northern Carrizo Plain, west of

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

and about east of

San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...

and west of Taft, in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

History

The interior of the rock alcove is adorned with many

s created by the

Chumash Chumash may refer to: *Chumash (Judaism), a Hebrew word for the Pentateuch, used in Judaism *Chumash people, a Native American people of southern California *Chumashan languages, indigenous languages of California See also * Chumash traditional ...

Salinan The Salinan are a Native American tribe whose ancestral territory is in the southern Salinas Valley and the Santa Lucia Range in the Central Coast of California. Today, the Salinan governments are now working toward federal tribal recognition f ...

and

Yokuts people The Yokuts (previously known as MariposasPowell, 1891:90–91.) are an ethnic group of Native Americans native to central California. Before European contact, the Yokuts consisted of up to 60 tribes speaking several related languages. ''Yokuts ...

s over many thousands of years. In recent times there have been many marks left by early White settlers such as one reading "Geo. Lewis 1908", founder of

Atascadero, California Atascadero (Spanish for "Mire") is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, about equidistant from Los Angeles and San Francisco on U.S. Route 101. Atascadero is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metropolitan statistical area, which e ...

. Unfortunately there has also been major defacing of this site; in the 1920s the large pictogram was irreparably damaged by a shotgun blast. Ancient rock art in red, black and white yucca pigments, and some yellow, green and blue were painted with rodent tail hair brushes or simple finger painting. Estimates are that the Chumash people first populated the Carrizo Plain about 2000 BCE but mostly abandoned it, possibly due to drought, about CE 600. The

common in the nearby

San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven c ...

moved in and out of the Carrizo Plain area after the Chumash departed, creating their own rock art. Yokut pictographs often include large colorful figures and motifs, while the Chumash pictographs tend toward small elements, circular mandalas, and complex red, black and white panels. There is much debate about what group of native peoples lived in this area, as the Salinan, Yokut and Chumash peoples all lay claim to it. The rock art at Painted Rock is inferred to have been produced in shamanic tradition or ritual. The meanings of the symbols have many interpretations but can only be inferred. Ongoing literature discussion speculates that the imagery was produced in association with shamanic trance and hallucination. However, the word shaman encompasses a broad range of societal roles filled by very different people across many different cultures. The concept of "shaman" has also evolved into different meanings in modern society. Spaniards came through the area in the 18th century; rancheros of Portuguese descent left engravings on Painted Rock in the late 19th century. The rock art now attracts thousands of visitors each year. Unfortunately, heavy graffiti and reckless gunshot damage to the prehistoric rock art was mostly done in the 1920s. Ongoing damage has continued. As a result, the site is now protected by law, has limited access, and has vigilant surveillance. Although volunteers removed some of the damage in 1991, the extent of destruction is almost overwhelming to observers (Painted Rock is often described as a "ruined" heritage site). However, even the modern damage may be evaluated in a historic context by future generations. Ongoing animal burrowing, natural weathering, and erosion are also degrading the site. The Goodwin Education Center is located near Painted Rock and provides environmental education and guided tours. Painted Rock is closed during raptor nesting season (March 1 through July 15). Native Americans still frequently use Painted Rock for ceremonies and other activities.

Geology

Painted Rock Sandstone is a marine sandstone that is a member of the

Vaqueros Formation The Vaqueros Formation is a sedimentary geologic unit primarily of Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene age, which is widespread on the California coast and coastal ranges in approximately the southern half of the state. It is predominantly a med ...

of the Saucesian Stage (formed approximately 22 to 16.5 million years ago) corresponding to the earliest part of the

Miocene Epoch The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" ...

of the

Neogene Period The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...

.Dibblee, T.W., et al
Regional Geologic Map of San Andreas and Related Faults in Carrizo Plain, Temblor, Caliente and La Panza Ranges and Vicinity, California; A Digital Database
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-014. 1999.

Access

Painted Rock can be reached by footpath from the Goodwin Center off Soda Lake Road, which runs northwest-southeast between State Route 166 and State Route 58. Like most roads within Carrizo Plain, it is unpaved and subject to sudden closure during and after rainy weather. Note that Painted Rock is a protected area and regularly closed to the public between March 1 and the end of May except for guided tours. In this wilderness area visitors are advised to carry sufficient fuel, food, water and medical supplies since there are no services and cellphone coverage is sparse. At an elevation of , days can be very hot and nights quite cold. The climate is dry, with most rain falling in winter and annual totals averaging about . Walking in the Carrizo Plain area can be dangerous due to low humidity, temperature extremes and rattlesnakes; and is also difficult due to tall grass hiding a very irregular ground surface created by the many burrowing mammals including an endangered species of

kangaroo rat Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus ''Dipodomys'', are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed thi ...

Goodwin Center and Museum

During limited business hours, visitor services for the area are provided by the Goodwin Education Center at 805.475-2131 during the months of December through May. In addition to some Painted Rock tours and details, it also provides information and displays regarding threatened and endangered Carrizo Plain wildlife species. These include the

San Joaquin kit fox The endangered San Joaquin kit fox (''Vulpes macrotis mutica'') was formerly very common in the San Joaquin Valley and through much of Central California. Its 1990 population was estimated to be 7,000. This subspecies is still endangered, after n ...

, the

blunt-nosed leopard lizard ''Gambelia sila'', commonly known as the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Crotaphytidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to southern California. Taxonomy ''Gambelia sila'' was originally describ ...

, the

giant kangaroo rat The giant kangaroo rat (''Dipodomys ingens'') is an endangered species of heteromyid rodent endemic to California. Description The giant kangaroo rat, is the largest of over 20 species of kangaroo rats, which are small members of the rodent f ...

, and the San Joaquin antelope squirrel. There is also information and history regarding settlement and farming of the area. Outside the new museum are antique farm equipment and machinery on display, along with picnic areas and walking trails. The main access road to Painted Rock begins at Goodwin Center, and when closed during rains there is usually access here for hiking in. During the limited business hours of Goodwin Center, maps and a BLM ranger are usually available for more information.

Gallery

Image:Czomap.jpg, Map of the Carrizo Plain Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock8.jpg, The symbol for rain.Lynne McCall & Perry Rosalind (ed.). 1991. ''The Chumash People: Materials for Teachers and Students''. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. San Luis Obispo, CA: EZ Nature Books. . Page 69. Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock4.jpg, The symbol for the sun. Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock2.jpg Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock.jpg Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock5.jpg Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock11.jpg Image:Pictographs_at_Painted_Rock3.jpg

References

External links

Petroglyphs US
* ttp://www.virtualguidebooks.com/CentralCalif/ElCaminoReal/SodaLakePaintedRock/SodaLakePaintedRock.php Virtual Guidebooks - Panoramas of Soda Lakebr>BLM Plan Document
with table of contents.
EdHat Photo EssayPhoto gallery
by Mike Baird {{authority control Rock art of the Chumash people Archaeological sites in California Bureau of Land Management areas in California Chumash National Monuments in California Native American history of California Protected areas of San Luis Obispo County, California Petroglyphs in California