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PETROGLYPH PULLOUT
THE FREMONT CULTURE
 The
Fremont people lived throughout Utah and adjacent areas of Idaho,
Colorado and Nevada from 700 to 1300 AD. The culture was named
for the Fremont River and its valley in which many of the first
Fremont sites were discovered.
The Fremont were a Puebloid group who had strong cultural
affiliations with their better-known contemporaries, the Anasazi.
While the Anasazi built cliff dwellings, the Fremont often lived
in pit houses (dug into the ground and covered with a brush
roof), wickiups (brush and log huts) and natural rockshelters.
Their social structure was composed of small, loosely organized
bands consisting of several families. They were closely tied
to nature and were flexible, diverse and adaptive -- often making
changes in their lifeways as social or environmental changes
occured.
Diet
The Fremont maintained a hunting and gathering lifestyle and supplemented
their diet by farming; growing corn, beans and squash along the
river bottoms. Edible native plants included pinyon nuts, rice
grass and a variety of berries, nuts, bulbs, and tubers. Corn
was ground into meal on a stone surface (metate) using a hand-held
grinding stone (mano.) Food was stored in pottery jars or baskets
inside small masonary structures, called granaries, which were
tucked under small overhangs on narrow ledges. Deer, bighorn sheep,
rabbits, birds, fish and rodents were hunted using snares, nets,
fishhooks, bow and arrow, and the atlatl or throwing stick.
Unique Artifacts
Archeologists have identified several kinds of artifacts that
are distinctive to the Fremont people. One was a singular style
of basketry, called one-rod-and-bundle, which incorporated willow,
yucca, milkweed, and other native fibers. They also created pottery,
mostly graywares, with smooth, polished surfaces or corrugated
designs pinched into the clay.
Unlike the Anasazi who wore yucca fiber sandals, the Fremont
made moccasins from the hide of large animals, such as deer,
with the dew claw placed on the sole to act as a hobnail; providing
extra traction on slippery surfaces.
The most unique and mysterious artifacts left by the Fremont
were clay figurines. The small figures resemble people, often
showing intricate details such as ear bobs, necklaces, clothing,
hair and facial decorations and sexual characteristics. The
purpose of figurines is unknown, but it is believed they had
magical or religious significance.
Rock art
Figurines resemble Fremont rock art. Pictographs (painted) and
petroglyphs (carved or pecked) are depictions of people, animals
and other shapes and forms left on rock surfaces. Anthropomorphic
(human-like) figures usually have trapezoidal shaped bodies with
arms, legs and fingers. The figures are often elaborately decorated
with headdresses, ear bobs, necklaces, clothing items and facial
expressions. A wide variety of zoomorphic (animal-like) figures
include bighorn sheep, deer, dogs, birds, snakes and lizards.
Abstract designs, geometric shapes and handprints are also common.
The meaning of rock art is unknown. The designs may have recorded
religious or mythological events, migrations, hunting trips,
resource locations, travel routes, celestial information and
other important knowledge. Many believe rock art uses symbolic
concepts that provide the observer with information and that
it was important, not not simply artistic expression or doodling.
Some day, we may understand rock art better, but only if these
sites are not destroyed. The slightest touch removes fine granules
of sand and leaves behind a residue of sweat and oil. Please
refrain from any activity that involves touching the panels.
If you see anyone damaging rock art or any archeological site,
report it to a ranger immediately.
By 1300 AD, the Fremont had abandoned their villages. No one
is completely sure why they left or what happened to them. One
common thought is that changing weather conditions caused a
severe drought in the southwest that lasted over 30 years. Such
conditions would have forced the Fremont to adopt a nomadic
lifestyle as they abandoned farming and relied completely on
hunting and gathering for food. This, combined with diseases,
may have eventually caused them to die off. Like the Anasazi,
their disappearance was quick and dramatic and continues to
puzzle archeologists today.
THE PETROGLYPH PULLOUT WALK
After a leisurely tour of the museum displays in the Visitor Center,
take a walk along the "Petroglyph Pullout" on Utah Hwy 24, 1 1/2
miles east of the Visitor Center. Petroglyphs and pictographs,
the so-called "rock art" of prehistoric peoples, have long held
a special fascination for young and old alike. From the parking
area, a short path leads to the base of the Wingate Sandstone
cliff. Visible from this viewpoint are some of the most interesting
petroglyph panels at Capitol Reef (see photo above).
Please DO NOT attempt to climb the talus slope in front of
you. Use a telephoto lens for close-up photographs. Rock art
panels are very fragile and many have already been seriously
damaged through vandalism, carelessness, or ignorance. DO
NOT TOUCH ANY PETROGLYPHS OR PICTOGRAPHS. Each touch removes
a few more sand grains from the rock surface. We need your cooperation
to protect and preserve these treasures of the past.
The pathway that leads to the east parallels the base of the
cliff for about 500 feet and provides an opportunity for easy
viewing of additional examples of Fremont rock art.
The path is uneven and narrow in places and may become slippery
when wet. There are shady places along the way so the walk is
not unpleasant even at midday. Many of the petroglyps visible
from the path are badly weathered and difficult to spot, especially
in certain lighting. There is no best time of day or year for
viewing - lighting conditions change from hour to hour and sometimes
from minute to minute, depending on the play of sunshine and
shadow on the cliff face. Take your time, walk a short distance,
stop and explore the sheer Wingate Sandstone cliff with your
eyes. Then, go a bit further and repeat the process. The excitement
and thrill of discovering a petroglyph panel for yourself is
a major part of the enjoyment of petroglyph watching and will
be a rich reward for your patience and effort.
About 500 feet down the path are the last petroglyphs along
this section of the cliff: a large beautifully done image of
a bighorn sheep and, on a large detached slab, the head and
shoulders of a nearly life-size human figure. From this point,
you can retrace your route, taking the left-hand fork in the
path just before you reach the irrigation ditch crossing. This
will bring you back to the parking area.
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