UGRD_2017_Spring_Bales_Lewis.pdf (2.63 MB)
Spiral Petroglyphs and the Solstice : Archaeoastronomy in the Wind and Bighorn River Basins
presentation
posted on 2021-11-15, 18:03 authored by Sara Bales, Bailey LewisThe Central Wyoming Field School discovered a spiral petroglyph, reminiscent of those common in the desert southwest, on a large boulder in the foothills of the Absaroka Mountains. Sighting from the spiral, over the point of an adjacent boulder, leads to a series of cairns on high points extending at least four miles to the southeast. The fact that similar petroglyphs in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico are associated with a variety of astronomical events caused field school students to wonder whether this is a calendric site. Other researchers have documented that a similar petroglyph near Thermopolis marks the Summer Solstice. This paper discusses the results of student research on four possible calendric petroglyph sites near Lander, Meeteetse, and Hyattville, Wyoming.
History
Advisor
Guenther, ToddISO
engLanguage
EnglishPublisher
University of Wyoming. LibrariesDepartment
- Library Sciences - LIBS