What are petroglyphs? Some say petroglyphs are no more than Indian graffiti. Some say it was put there only by a Shaman after a vision while in a trance, induced or not. We have come to believe that petroglyphs are a form of shorthand of the indian sign language, pecked very laboriously into a rock usually with another rock, to record historical events, to leave maps of village sites, hunting or gathering sites and water sources. Yes the Shamans did use the rock writtings to their trade. Shamans used petroglyph images on certain rocks for medicinal powers and spirital communication. They had fertility or rain rocks. Tribes used toll rocks which would guarantee safe passage, to most outsiders, through their territory if payment was left there.

The shorthand type communication pecked on rocks in North America is not unlike those found in other parts of the world, such as Africa, Australia, or even Hawaii.

Sir Richard F. Burton, of the Nile River expedition fame with John H. Speke 1858-1859, spent the year of 1860 in North America. He traveled from east to west across America and spent time with several nations of the North American Indian. He learned their "Universal Sign Language" and when he revisited Africa some years later he found he could communicate with the West African natives using the North American sign language. Something that was probably used for thousands of years and understood basicly by all. This same sign language I might add is the basis of todays universal sign language.