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Tulip Figures: A Saharan Petroglyph

Clifford C. Richey October 2012

Illustration 1: Photo: National Geographic Magazine Photograph by George Steinmetz

These 2,500-year-old petroglyphs, portraying figures with Tulip-shaped heads and hourglass bodies, mark an ancient human presence in the Sahara's Ar Mountains. Despite the extreme temperatures and sparse rainfall characterizing these arid landscapes, more than one billion people eke out a living in desert regions today.1 The overall Form of the composition is the shape of the rock upon which it was made. The Form is one of a Large Stone Knife (a Great Ray of the Sun, a warrior). Many Native American cultures compared the blossoming of a flower with the rebirth of the human spirit.

Illustration 2: The Great Knife, The Great Ray of the Sun The two Figures on this rock were carefully pecked upon its surface. There appears to be another petroglyph perhaps added at a later date that was not so carefully crafted. For this reason we will focus only on the Tulip Figures in this paper. The Tulip's native range extends to southern Europe and North Africa. Of course, because this sign is that of a blossoming flower we cannot know whether a Tulip Image was actually intended. The (blue) Edge of the Knife Form was based on the sign for, arising. The (green) Lines indicate that the Form of the Knife was a compound sign based on the Rectangular place sign and the arising sign. The arising sign was inverted from the one in textbooks2 as it indicates arising on the Left (in the east) as opposed to the illustration that indicates the Right hand or west. The message is therefore, the place of arising in the east.

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http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/enlarge/petroglyphs-steinmetz_pod_image.html http://www.manataka.org/page310.html (signs from American Indian Universal Sign language by William Tomkins.

Illustration 4: Form of Tulip Bulbs Photo: D. Larkin

Illustration 3: Gesture Sign for a Flower All of the signs found in this petroglyph can be found in Native American petroglyphs and other Native American compositions. Many of the signs found in this paper, especially those involved with the Arms and Hands, are discussed in the paper: http://www.scribd.com/doc/85335148/Native-American-Written-Sign-Language

Illustration 6: Left Arm and Hand

Illustration 5: Left Arm and Hand Color Coded

The left (light blue) Arm and Hand of the Triangular Figure (on the left) was composed of the (green) signs for waiting or awaiting and within (positional) the (yellow) opening. The Triangle is the sign for the female-earth.

Illustration 7: Color Coded The (red) Triangles connected vertically Form and X shaped body that was the sign for an exchange or, cosmologically, a transformation. As a compound of two Triangles it indicates transforming-female or changing-woman referring to the earth. The Circle within the chest of the left figure indicates the number one as well as a location. Thus the one located within the earth. Where the Figures join hands the upside down V means, held down. The (light blue) Arm indicates, turning (positional) on the side. The Arm (positional, the warrior), The Hand (positional, the steward of the Sun) turning on the side of the earth-female (the Triangular body). Within the Triangle is a (yellow) Circle that indicates, the one, the location, positional, within the

earth-female. There is an (orange) Vertical Rectangle, a vertical-place sign at the Throat (positional) a tunnel that connects the surface with the interior of the earth-female. It is here at the surface of the earth that the flower blossoms.

Illustration 8: Color Coded Continued The two Triangular Figures appear to be holding hands and that area was composed of two V shaped opening signs (east and west) with the center in the Form of an upside down V sign indicating, helddown. The concept of two connected and similar Figures may have referred to twins. The two together as one. That along with the directions of east and west leads one to believe that the subject was Venus and its dual flight in the east and west. It would seem that we should look to the east for the arising of Venus around the time that the flowers blossom. The Flowers, their (alluded to) Faces, their appearance.

Illustration 9: Figure's Legs and Feet

The Legs and Feet positioned below the Body of the earth-female refer to a long-walk or long-journey. The signs on the Legs are ambiguous but may be the Form of (tan) Hands positionally, on the sides with a locational, the one, Circle (yellow) positionally, on the sides, Left and Right (east and west).

There is also a (green) Vertical Rectangle, a vertical-place sign positioned in the genital area and this would seem to relate to the male, the Hand of the Sun's (steward of the Sun) location, below, on the side (of the earth). This area could also be perceived as the Upside Down T sign indicating, below the surface. Below the (light blue) held-down sign positioned where the Hands of the Figures would join is a Long (yellow) Vertical Line. This presents the Root of the plant positioned at the base of the bulb from which the roots form. This would indicate that the root or the origin, the beginning was far below the earth's surface. This was based on the sign for far, positional, below. This line leads to a bulb shaped Form that is similar to that of a Tulip bulb. In the Moche Illustration below (green circle) the signs relate to cassava roots. It is interesting that the sign for the Tulip bulb is much the same.

Illustration 10: Moche Composition, Peru If we look closely at the Head of the Triangular Figure on the Right (the west) we notice that the the two Tulip shaped Heads are not exactly the same. The Figure on the Right has a Head that is more rounded in Form and the center section appears to be in the Form of a Bird's Neck and Head. The general impression is one of a Bird extending or flapping its wings.

Illustration 11: Bird Form

The (blue) Bird Form (flight) is standing on the Straight Line (a surface) of the (red) Triangular earthfemale sign. The Arm and Hand (warrior-steward or warrior-priest) was created from the (green) V shaped sign for an opening. The Hand was composed from a (light green) Straight Line indicating a surface with a (blue) Vertical Line resting upon it indicating, on the surface. The overall meaning is, the one about to fly from an opening on the earth's surface. We, of course, do not know the association that the composer of this petroglyph made with the Tulip, If that particular flower was indeed intended. However one can speculate that the Tulips arose in the spring or wet season and this arising of the flowers may have signaled a celestial event. The reference to the one in the east and the one in the west would seem to indicate Venus and this would be in line with the translations of many Native American compositions. Also the number two and the possibility of twin flowers having been intended would strengthen the association with the planet Venus related to its arising in the east and west. Perhaps, if the rock upon which the petroglyph was made, has not been moved, Venus might arise directly over the tip of the arising sign or above the mountain peak just beyond the petroglyph.

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