MESQUITE, Nev. – Red Rock Hiking meetup group of St. George, Utah, joined up with hikers from Mesquite, Nev., Sunday to take a 3-mile hike in search of the longest panel of petroglyphs in Nevada.
The combined group of 30 were on a hunt for the Kohta Circus Panel of Petroglyphs. The group traveled through a diversity of terrain that presented both difficult driving and hiking conditions. Seeing the ancient scribing of nearby culture proved well worth the struggles it took to get to the remote location.
Watch the video top of this report.
The Kohta Circus rock writings spanned a 50-60-foot flat rock wall. Many different types of drawings displayed a variety of possible interpretations. Big-horned sheep, strong-looking men, curving lines and even a footprint shape all have some sort of deeper meaning than what they are often seen as: art.
Penelope Eicher, a Red Rock Hiking member, has a personal interest in ancient Native American history. She quoted LaVan Martineau, from his book “The Rocks Begin to Speak“: “… It’s not art, it is information about the things that are important to the people.”
In Martineau’s book he explains that he has seen basic common symbols among all of the thousands of petroglyphs from all over America and even Canada displaying a definite linguistic trait.
However, Martineau also carefully reminds his readers that reading rock writings that were written by and for the people from cultures not like our own may be difficult – if not impossible, on purpose – for any stranger to their natives to read.
One doesn’t have to be a cryptanalyst to find the images beautiful or the story they tell moving.
Because of the potential risk of vandalism, St. George News honors a request made that it respect the Native Americans by not exploiting the location in this news story.
Those interested in participating in unique hikes in the Southern Utah area may contact the Red Rock Hiking Meetup Group via the linked website.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.
Didn’t know about this hiking area in our back yard, a hike I need to make one day. Enjoyed the video the of Petroglyphs and hike, very interesting.
I’m old fashioned and prefer print over e-media but, if web content can be this good I may convert yet!
=)
Great job!! What a fun experience.
Fabulous job of covering our hike. Very happy to see you kept the site anonymous to protect it…
Your attitude disgusts me. I know where the site is, and your despicable, elitist comment might cause me to go deface the whole thing.
What is your problem , what disgusts you so much that you want to deface the whole thing? So sorry you are a miserable person. Just don’t understand your unkind comment.
If ACurtis think the site should just be enjoyed by a select few with privileged information, then perhaps the whole site should be destroyed so that nobody can enjoy it! I find his attitude unacceptable.
It never ceases to amaze me, the treasures we have so close to home. We live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
It’s just old graffiti by a bunch of savages, nothing special. What is special is the European conquest that gave us this impressive American civilization we enjoy today.
Nice job. It really made me want to go see it. In fact, I noticed that my Outback Hiking club has been there. In the hike write-up of their trip they mentioned that the site was discovered in 1998 by Bob Ashbaugh, a Las Vegas retired truck driver. He named the area after his Grandmother from Finland, Ali Kohta. The Circus was from all the animals depicted.
This is great to learn about as we live in Ivins. Have to check it out. Great article.
Great piece. I have never heard of this area. Looking forward to exploring it myself.
Thanks for the article. You have described a treasure that few people have seen. Your article may be as close as I ever come to visiting it myself.
Thanks again.
Looks like a fun group to be a part of
Nice article, Sara, I am not a hiker, myself, but I am a history nut and I love all things ancient. Good job!
Well done! I liked the humor from Ms Amodt. “Fellow species”! Stories like this are fun to read and watch! Keep up the great work.
Very interesting! Makes me want to take a drive/hike! Excellent article Sarah and great photos Angie!
This is cool! Great story. Makes me want to check that place out. Thanks!
I have been here going some 18 years and had not heard of this place. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
Great article!
Nice reporting and filming. Thanks for sharing this interesting spot.
Good Job, how did you here about this ? next time you interview look more at them , and ask more questions. Keep up the good work.
Good job on this, Sara! Well written! Makes me want to go check it out! Great pics Angie!