TRAVEL. NEW MEXICO
Uncovering the Petroglyphs of New Mexico
New Mexico’s petroglyphs have been with us for centuries.
The preteen aspiring photographer bounced along about 20 feet down the trail from me. She had slung her small camera around her neck; dirty blonde hair pulled back in a testament to the February desert heat.
She was with a group of around 12 other people — family members, I guessed, of varying ages. One small human waddled along behind her, picking his way precariously down the steep Mesa slope.
The young girl’s precociousness was evident even from far away, as she click-click-clicked away with her shutter. Clearly, she was in her element.
The girls' mother nudged her, pointing to one of the numerous misshapen stones along the hill. Laughing, “Interpret this for us!”.
“A shovel? With… flowers on it?” Camera in one hand, the girl hesitated, squinting. “It’s definitely a shovel.”
She seemed confident enough. Her raucous family meandered further down the path. The girl snapped a few photos and followed them, smiling. Someone finally picked up the struggling toddler.
The young woman was wrong, but I didn’t mention it. The white scratches on dark basalt were not a shovel…
