Step back in time at Petroglyph National Monument along Albuquerque's West Mesa. The fascinating monument gives travelers the chance to see amazing images carved by native people and early Spanish settlers up to 12,000 years ago.
The desert setting of the West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates Albuquerque's western horizon, provides the perfect backdrop to step back and picture yourself alive during the time when natives protected their lands and hunted along the area. With five volcanic cones, hundreds of archaeological sites, and an estimated 25,000 images carved by the native Pueblos and early Spanish settlers, the monument protects part of the early culture and history of the area to share for generations to come.
Covering a 17-mile stretch, the Petroglyph National Monument allows the past to come alive; images carved on the rocks tell the stories of natives and settlers in carvings of animals, people, spirals, stars, and geometric shapes. One of the most famous symbols found at the Petroglyph National Monument is that of Kokopelli, the hump-backed flute player, which is still used as a symbol in modern Pueblo art.
Though no one knows exact dates that the carvings were made, archaeologists have compared the petroglyphs with other artwork of a known date. Some carvings are thought to have been created between AD 1300 and 1650, others up to 3,000 years ago. The most recent are thought to have been created by Spanish settlers in the Spanish Colonial period. The Petroglyph National Monument offers an exciting look at the "Land of Enchantment" from a new perspective.
