Transactions of the Regional Archeological Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: 1983 Page: 87
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These were produced by placing the hand _1 tc rock, then blowing the
paint around the hand through a hollow reed, creating a silhouette
effect.
One theory regarding the handprints is that they are a form of
signature in a culture that had no written language. They may have
recognized some accomplishment--a right granted only to a select few
for great wisdom or heroism. As the score of names painted or cut
into the wall since the 1880's attest, the desire to leave a name,
a mark, that states, "I was here," is as old as mankind. It has been
with us from the beginning and always will be.
Birds, in several styles, form another common motif. They often
appear in flight with. outspread wings. The Indian painted the things
he knew. Animals. provided a common and important aspect of his life.
Birds--such as cave swallows--were prevalent near a spring. Their
grace in flight inspired the artists; their feathers adorned his body.
They became a portion of his magic. The largest bird figure flies along
the wall from west to east and measures five feet from wingtip to wing-
tip. It may be a large-scale depiction of a cave swallow, or may rep-
resent some mythical god of flight.
Birds were clearly linked with religious beliefs. One yellow
thunderbird appears in flight with a darker spiral on his chest.
Circular forms were an important component of Indian beliefs.
"You have noticed that everything an Indian does
is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the
World always works in circles, and everything tries
to be round. In the old days when we were a strong
and happy people, all our power came to us from the
sacred hoop of the nation."
The Indian artist painted other animals that were important to him,
such as the buffalo and the deer. The pictograph of the deer is one of
the most beautiful of the paintings. A buck has stopped broadside and
turned to face us. In the proud lift of his antlers and the delicate
lines of his legs there is a rare artistry.
Rock art possesses a special nature because rock is, in some ways,
a living canvas. It absorbs, reflects, and reacts to light and shadow.
The paintings thus constantly change in hue and shading as the lighting
shifts. Some disappear, others emerge. Perspectives may soften or
sharpen. In the rock walls of the Trans-Pecos canyons--at Meyer' s,
Seminole Canyon, or countless small shelters--the rock artists captured
a portion of the power of their world vision.
One other subject among the pictures is the Indian himself and the
events of his life. There are several portraits of hunters or warriors,
armed with weapons and shields. Some figures appear to be holding atlatls,
early spear-throwing devices that preceded the bow, Warriors are shown
hunting the buffalo on horseback. Painted across an irregular segment
of the wall, they illustrate both the difficulty of painting on a curved
irregular surface and a remarkable adaptation to the contours of the wall.
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Transactions of the Regional Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: Index to Volumes 1-57 [1965-2024] (Book)
Index to the proceedings of the regional archeological symposium including separate lists by subject, title, author, and volume along with subject categories, a map of regions, and Texas county abbreviations.
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Transactions of the Regional Archeological Symposium for Southeastern New Mexico and Western Texas: 1983, book, 1984; United States. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1661464/m1/95/?q=+date%3A1945-1972: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Southwestern Federation of Archaeological Societies.