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Petroglyphs
With Antlered
Figures
Clifford C. Richey
July 2014
It would be helpful to refer to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12507641.5/ Universl!"rehistoric!#epicted!
$i%n!&n%u%e when redin% this pper. It e'plins the use of (orm) Im%er*) +esture $i%ns) $tnce)
llusion. nd position mon% other compositionl rules used in the cretion of mn* ncient
compositions.
Illustration 1: Moab Utah Petroglyph
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http://.!ccord"!useu!.#c.c$/en/collection/$rtif$cts/%1&2/
Illustration 2: Iroquoise Antler Headress
Illustration 3: New Mexio Petroglyph
'
(he odd )u*t$position of $ +ird $nd Antlers ,egins to !$-e sense hen e underst$nd th$t in sign
l$ngu$ge $ +ird !e$nt. the one that flies or flight. /orns $nd $ntlers indic$ted a leader.
1
(his $s
concept pro,$,ly ,$sed on o,ser0$tion of herding $ni!$ls here the !ost poerful !$le g$ins his
le$ding position in the herd through ,$ttle. Ancient depicted sign l$ngu$ge !$de use of this f$ct ,y
using For! $nd 1!$gery of /orns $nd Antlers to signify leadership.
The Leader, The Chieftain,
2($n. (he Antlered /e$d3
The Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun,
2($n. 4u$l For! or 1!$gery of the Antlers $s /$nds. (he sign for a steward is not defined in this glyph
,ut $s p$rt of the cos!ology $s deter!ined through conte*t in !ultiple glyphs3
on
The Left and Right, In the east and the west,
21n gesture signing the left h$nd side represents the e$st $nd the right h$nd side. the est3
The Bird, the one that flies,
2(he sign of the +ird3
The great male-spirit,
2 5ight ,lue. A sign ,$sed on the gl$ns penis to represent $ !$le spirit3
1 http://.!ccord"!useu!.#c.c$/en/collection/$rtif$cts/%1&2/ 6Arch$eologic$l e0idence fro! the 7$stern
Woodl$nds region suggests th$t the e$ring of horned he$ddresses $s sy!,ols of chiefly poer goes ,$c- thous$nds of
ye$rs.8
Illustration !: "olor "oded
4
at
,he #oorw*) the portl)
2(he yello. Pi sh$ped. sign th$t !e$ns $ door$y. (he door9s lintel is co!pounded ith the loer )$
$re$ of the. 5ight +lue. !$le"spirit sign3
-is &e%) -is (oot) his lon% .ourne*
2:ello. An $llusion to the legs $nd feet3
Below it,
2Rel$ti0e position3
His arising,
2White. the cur0ed sign for arising3
fro!
The surface,
25ight +lue. (he ;tr$ight 5ine th$t !$-es up the top of the !$le"spirit9s he$d3
/bove
2Rel$ti0e position3
Illustration #: "olor "oded
<
The Tail feathers, His parts in flight,
2Fe$thers $s p$rt of $ ,ird. thus it parts or partiles in flight3
His man,
2A count of three li-e signs $s $ for! of short h$nd for the ord. !$ny3
Turning places
2+lue. $he turning%plaes& A o'pound o( the retangular pl$ce sign and the )U* shaped "ur+e (or
turning3
!n the side
2position$l. of the e$rth. understood3
2p$st tense. that whih is behind3
The "ertical-place
2=reen. $ >ertic$l rect$ngle !e$ning a +ertial plae th$t h$s height $nd depth3
!n its side,
2positional#
Heading west,
2;t$nce of the +ird9s he$d3
The $e of the Sun, %enus.
,-ellow. /enus 'etaphorially +iewed as a o'panion spirit or (a'iliar to the 0un& $his 'eaning was
deter'ined through ontext o( 'any glyphs related to the anient os'ology1
Illustration 2: "olor "oded
?
The &ntlered one, the leader,
'!"erall Image or (orm of the single figure#
Illustration 3: Moab. Utah
@
The !ne,
The )reat *nife, The great ra of the Sun,
2+l$c-. For! of $ Anife ,$sed on $ !et$phor of the r$ys of the ;un cutting the f$ce of the e$rth B
!$-ing cr$c-s in it $s the soil dries up3
Illustration 4: $he 5reat 6ni(e
&
The $arth-female,
2Red. (he (ri$ngul$r sign for the e$rth"fe!$le ,$sed on the For! of the hu!$n fe!$le genit$l $re$3
Her Throat, a connecting tunnel,
')reen#
& "ertical-place,
')reen#
at
Her center,
2(he center of the e$rth3
position$l. in the 'iddle. ;uch pl$ces often ere considered the center of the culture3
The House, The lineage.
25ight +lue. (he ;#u$re sign for $ house $nd in this conte*t used in $ !$nner si!il$r to $ roy$l house3
Illustration 7: $he 8arth%(e'ale
C
His Legs and (eet, his long +ournes,
2(he feet indic$te a wal9 or :ourney. (he 5egs indic$te length.3
Below
'Position$l#
!n the sides
2Position$l3
Illustration 1;: "olor "oded
10
The &nimal, the one,
2singul$r3
That straddles
'Stance#
The earth-female,
2A te!pl$te of $ long ,odied $ni!$l o0er the e$rth sign3
The &rm, The warrior,
The Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun,
'The animal "iewed as the (igure,s arms and hands#
in
The east and the west
Below and a-o"e,
2(he left h$nd is. position$lly3 loer th$n the right h$nd3
2=esture signing. 5eft $nd Right representing the e$st $nd est3
on
The sides of the earth-female
2Position$l3
Illustration 11: Ani'al <or'
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!n the Left, in the east,
21n gesture signing the 5eft represents the e$st3
2(he ADtec used the !et$phor. /u!!ing,ird on the 5eft to represent >enus due to th$t +ird9s !$ting
d$nce""$ high speed 0ertic$l 6E8 sh$ped !o0e!ent !i!ic-ing the 6E8 !o0e!ent of >enus in rel$tion
to the e$rth. Arising in the e$st then going under the e$rth $nd $ppe$ring in the est3
2Position$l3
.aiting,
2=reen. ;t$nce of the Right$rd 5e$ning surf$ce sign indic$tes. waiting3
Held down.
2Red. the Angul$r sign or held don3
Below,
2Position$l3
The surface.
2=reen. the surf$ce 5ine3
He arises in the hole in the west,
2(he Right 7$r is in the For! of the arising sign3
His decent in the hole in the east.
2(he 5eft 7$r is in the For! of the desending sign3
2(he $re$ of the 7$rs $llude to the ori(ies. holes. on the side of the he$d3
Illustration 12: Ani'al <or'
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The Hand of the Sun, the steward of the Sun,
2(he one ho does the ;un9s ,idding3
!n the Right, in the west,
21n gesture signing the Right represents the est3
The )oat, The one who clim-s high upward,
2(he essence or spirit of the go$t is th$t it cli!,s high in the !ount$ins3
His Leg,-His (oot, his long +ourne,
2(he signs for $ long $l- or )ourney3
His &rising.
25ight +lue. the (hro$t of the go$t is in the For! of the sign for arising3
The Throat, the connecting tunnel,
2the (hro$t $s $ !et$phor for a tunnel onneting the ,oels of the e$rth ith the surf$ce3
The !ne, His Location
Illustration 13: Ani'al <or'
1'
2:ello. (he Circle $s the ,$sis for the go$t9s he$d3
$t
The /oorwa, the portal,
2White. the door$y sign3
The Hori0ontal-rectangle, the hori0ontal-place,
2=reen. the rect$ngul$r sign for $ pl$ce. positioned horiDont$lly to distinguish it $s $ surf$ce pl$ce $s
opposed to $ 0ertic$l"pl$ce3
fro!
The $ars, the holes
2 $lludes to the orifices of the e$rs3
/escending in the east,
&rising in the west,
2,$sed on the h$nds used in gesture signing $s indic$tion of direction3
2Red. desending sign in the e$st. arising sgn in the est3
Illustration 1!: Ani'al <or'
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His (ace, his appearance,
2A F$ce. $ny f$ce. indic$tes his appearane3
The $e of the Sun, %enus,
2:ello. !e$ning indic$ted e$rlier3
The 1ose, the dual holes
24$r- +lue. $lludes to the nostrils $s dual ori(ies3
The 2outh, the water source,
2Pin-. (he %outh. $ny !outh. indic$ti0es $ source of $ter. 1n this conte*t it refers to the $tery
underorld. (he %outh is $lluded to ,y the /ouse sign9s position here the !outh ould nor!$lly ,e3
,urnin%)
2(he 6E8 ;h$ped turning sign3
Through it,
Illustration 1#: His <ae
1<
2;t$nce3
The !ne, His Location,
2(he Fu!eric$l one ,$sed on the fingertip. 5inguistic$lly. it !e$ns loation1
!n the sides.
2Position$l3
Illustration 12: His <ae
1?
(hese glyphs h$0e ,een tr$nsl$ted ,eginning ith the l$rgest For!. 1!$ge or ;ign don to the
s!$llest. +ec$use the glyphs $re non line$r one could pro,$,ly ,egin re$ding the! $t $ny point. +ut it
h$s ,een found th$t they see! to !$-e the !ost sense hen tr$nsl$ted $ccording to siDe..