The Rochester Rock Art Panel is located within the San Rafael Swell in Price Utah and consists of many different style petroglyphs from various times. The large panel dates to at least 1300 AD and is one of the best examples from the Fremont Culture and possibly the earlier Barrier Canyon Culture. Many travelers visit the panel because of its unique unusual rock art. Some of the petroglyphs include animals, human like figures and a rainbow calender petroglyphs.
Address: Emery County, UT 84522, Castle Dale, UT
Time: 1 Hour round trip
Rating: Easy Hike, 1-mile round trip at most, 80 feet of elevation gain.
Bathrooms: None
Cell Phone: Coverage was good, no issues!
LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 38.90675556, -111.1951111
Getting There
The Rochester Rock Art Panel is located 3 miles east of Emery, Utah but is accessed via a graded road coming from a turnoff to the north, near the town of Moore. To get to the panel drive to the turnoff between mile markers 16 and 17 on highway 10 between the towns of Emery and Ferron.
Take the paved road heading east to Moore for about half a mile. Turn south onto a well-graded road and drive for about 4 miles, passing a radio tower on the way. From the parking area, you will encounter a sign directing you to the trail.
The trail begins by descending 80 feet along side of a dried riverbed that connects with muddy creek. The trail is not smooth and can be rocky and slightly bushy in some areas. After a quarter of a mile, the trail leads to the edge of the cliff where Rochester Rock Art Panel oversees the dried riverbed connecting with muddy creek. If you stay left instead of right, you will end up and the bottom of the cliff where the creek connects with muddy creek.
The Panel
The Rochester Panel is large and measures at least 20 feet by 15 feet. It is interesting to note that there are additional petroglyphs on the other side of the panel. When viewing the panel, you can determine rather quickly that some petroglyphs are much older than others. Unfortunately, the panel has more recent additions from early settlers and visitors. The panel is also known for its unique rainbow style petroglyph located in the center.
One of the older style petroglyphs located on the panel is of Barrier Canyon Culture. Although no one can confirm their culture created the panel, their influence is present. Some of the petroglyphs include animals, people, objects, and ceremonial God like figures. When viewing the panel you can identify the influence from the early Barrier Canyon Culture. Most important, the panel includes a time measurement calendar.
Petroglyphs
Listed below are some of the petroglyphs that are found interesting at Rochester Panel. The top 6 black circles represent time measurements such as Summer and Winter Solstices and the Equinox. The bottom black circles represent a sexual scene/fertility God and a time measurement spiral. The rainbow itself is a calendar. Some of the other petroglyphs are still a mystery.
The knowledge gained from www.parowangap.org was most useful. I recommend everyone visit the webpage for further learning. The photos below are courtesy of Nal Morris. The discovery of the panel having a calendar function was in 1983. A post was placed in front of the petroglyphic near the middle of the rainbow art. The post shadows created a time measure for the sun and observable events. Special markings were placed on the panel to align with the shadow of the post on sunrises of important astronomical events. Mr. Morris was able to conclude the markings associate with the shadow of the sun lined up with markings for the Summer and Winter Solstices, Equinox and more.
My Theory
The following information is my theory on the Rochester Rock Art Panel
I do agree with Nal Morris that the Rainbow petroglyph is a time measure calendar. The calendar not only included time measurements such as solstices and equinox but also additional information. I believe the reason for the fertility scene is to mark a day of someone’s birth or a time to conceive.
Another theory I have is that the spiral on the bottom right of the rainbow lines up with the winter solstice marker that Nal Morris discover. There is not another spiral marking on the panel. The spiral is used as a time marker throughout the world and is one of the oldest symbols in the world. I theorize that the pole will cast a shadow effect on the spiral similar to others in the region. Some refer to this time measure as sun dagger like in site La Fajada Butte Chaco Canyon, NM It’s interesting to note the subsaa that is with the spiral.
Another theory I have is the human marking on Nal Morris’s predicated Summer Soltice line is raising his hands to the sun. All over the world humans have raised their arms, make hand symbols, dance, and other rituals celebrating the sun. Time magazine published a great example of the summer solstice celebration.
