CASA MALPAIS SERPENT EFFIGY - A LARGE STONE SCULPTURE IN ARIZONA:

An old post card image

of the Springerville

stone serpent.

Public domain.

Especially fascinating in the North American Native arts is a shortage of large scale stone sculptures when compared to other cultures. I have written three columns here on RockArtBlog in the past about relatively large scale stone carvingS: On June 30, 2009, I wrote "An Obelisk in Purgatoire Canyon, Southeastern Colorado", and revisited it on September 13, 2010 with "An Obelisk in Purgatoire Canyon, Southeastern Colorado, Revisited". Also on January 24, 2010, I wrote "The Bandelier Stone Lion Shrine - Life-Sized 3-D Stone Carving", These were essentially the only examples of large scale stone monuments (not geoglyphs or medicine circles) that I knew of.

Stone serpent in Casa Malpais

Museum. Photograph

by John Ruskamp.

I recently ran across references to this large carved stone effigy of a serpent, assumed to be Kolawisi or Palolokong in Springerville, Arizona. "The monument was found and mistreated as a plaything, yard ornament, and curiosity for many years until it was fixed into a secure metal base and housed in the Casa Malpais Archaeological Park and Museum." (Duran 2018)

Stone serpent in Casa Malpais

Museum. Photograph

by Angeline Duran.

In 2013, John A. Ruskamp, Jr. mentioned the large serpent effigy in his publication about what he identified as a Sun Dagger Shrine near Hooper Ranch Pueblo near Springerville.

"Years before the Field Museum's 1960-1961 archaeological excavations of the Hooper Ranch Pueblo a very large serpentine statue, embellished with a pair of carved eyes, nostrils, a "blow hole," and a slightly smiling mouth was removed from the site. The features of this massive ancient effigy are reminiscent of those found on effigies of the Great Water Serpent, Quetzalcoatl, in meso-America, and of the physical characteristics of the great North American water serpent god called "Kolowisi" by the Zuni people, and Palulukang by the Hopi, to which they directed their prayers for the blessings of rain and snow. For many years, this carved stone effigy was on public display outside of the Becker Mercantile Company in Springerville, Arizona, Certainly, the size of this statue indicates that it was very important to the ancient people who created it." (Ruskamp 2013:7) This is apparently now on display in the Casa Malpais Archaeological Park visitor's center and museum outside of Springerville.

Stone serpent in Casa Malpais

Museum. Photograph

by Angeline Duran.

Reference to this large stone serpent can be found online by John A. Russkamp, and Angeline Duran at the sites listed below in References.

I inquired with both of these people but I have received no answer from either of them. I also inquired of the Casa Malpais Museum and they referred me to David Williams of the local historical society.

Stone serpent in Casa Malpais

Museum. Photograph

by Angeline Duran.

In response to my inquiry the President of the local historical society, Dave Williams, stated that: "I only know (the) 'history' after it was placed in the yard of a  house on Main Street in Springerville. I was born in 1937 and as a child we used to climb on the statue. Somewhere I have seen a picture of the snake statue (before being placed in the yard) and in that picture there appear to be 2 - 3 pieces all very similar. I have no knowledge where the others may have gone. I understand that it is Hopi, the eyes and mouth are clearly visible. The White Mountain Historical Society received the statue from the Becker family (actually Margie Harper) and it was on display at the Historical Park. At some point in the mid-90s the snake portion was broken away from the sandstone base. About 3 years ago we had the snake portion of the effigy placed in the Heritage Center. The sandstone base still rests in the Town of Springerville storage area." (Williams 2019)

Palulukang wrestling with

a Koyemsi, Fewkes,

Hopi Katcinas, 1985,

Dover, cover picture.

I am here summarizing what I have been able to find out about this fascinating sculpture. If I can learn anything further I will pass it on to you in a subsequent posting. Also, If anyone has photos or knows anything else please send them to share on RockArtBlog.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize. For further information on this subject you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Duran, Angeline

2018 Quetzalcoatl in North American Pueblos, July 21, 2018, https://theancientsouthwest.com/2018/07/21/quetzalcoatl-in-north-american-pueblos/

Faris, Peter

2009 "An Obelisk in Purgatoire Canyon, Southeastern Colorado", June 30, 2009, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com

2010 "The Bandelier Stone Lion Shrine - Life-Sized 3-D Stone Carving", January 24, 2010, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com

2010 "An Obelisk in Purgatoire Canyon, Southeastern Colorado, Revisited",September 13, 2010, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com

Ruskamp, John A., Jr., Ed.D.

2013 The Hooper Ranch Pueblo Sun Dagger Shrine Revisited - Revealing Greater Regional significance, https://www.academia.edu/5814900

Williams, David

2019 President of the White Mountain Historical Society, personal communication e-mail, September 18, 2019.

SIGN AND GESTURE IN ROCK ART - PART 1: IMPLIED.

There are many rock art enthusiasts who try to read written messages in the shapes and relationships of the elements of a pictograph or petroglyph. I have generally been a skeptic on this, I see no element of writing in North American rock art.

Australian Aboriginal rock art.

Internet, Public Domain.

Hawaiian rock art,

Photo. Paul and Joy Foster.

There is, however, one facet of this question that I have to confess might in some few cases have some validity. I am referring to portrayals of gestures that might have meaning in a sign-based system of communication. Carol Patterson has done some work with Australian Aboriginal and Hawaiian rock art where she found meanings in arm and leg positions which strike me as plausible.

We are accustomed to finding petroglyphs of Kachinas in the American southwest. Some of them can be identified by their markings and shapes. Severin Fowles (2013) points out that the identity of a kachina is also carried in his gestures and motions. "The Kachina dance, to be sure, involves masks and costumes that can be hung on walls and treated like art in a conventional sense, just as the overall choreography can be diagrammed and analyzed as a kind of finished product. It is quite clear, however, that the fluid series of gestural movements are themselves the source of the dance's potency. It is the dancer-in-motion - indeed, the community-in-motion that both makes and is made by the 'art'." (Fowles 2013:71) Perhaps this gesture and motion could also be portrayed by the position of parts of the image in a panel of rock art.

"Each is distinguished not only by the painting and decoration of his mask and body, but also by his songs, his dance step, his call, and his bearing. One moves across the plaza with long swaggering steps, another dances lightly from place to place, while a third moves with stately dignity." (Kennard 2002:4) In other words the identification of a Kachina would involve recognition of motion (gesture) as well as visual appearance. "These differences in dance steps serve to distinguish one Kachina from another; they become as essential characteristics as the painting and decoration of a mask." (Kennard 2002:12)

The viewer, recognizing the imagery of the mask and costume, associates the motions that go along with it mentally. In the vernacular of modern art this would be called "performance art", the image is only a remaining vestigial record of the gestures/performance that were the point in the first place.

Shalako, stars, shield, and dragonfly,

Galisteo Dike, Comanche Gap,

New Mexico, Photo. Peter Faris.

Close-up of the Shalako,

Galisteo Dike, Comanche Gap,

New Mexico, Photo. Peter Faris.

On November 11, 2009, I posted a column in RockArtBlog titled Kachinas In Rock Art - The Shalako. In it I wrote the following about these fascinating beings. "One very distinctive example is the Shalako. Although they are not technically Kachinas, the Shalako dance in pueblo ceremonials like the Kachinas. Resembling giant birds, the Zuni Shalakos are up to ten feet tall. While dancing rhythmically, they clack their beaks. They dance till near sunrise. The tall, conical and long-necked form of the Shalako with their long beaks was probably derived from the Sandhill crane."

Shalako, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Photo. Peter Faris, 1988.

Rock art depictions of the Shalako can be dated back to the 14^th century but its recent history is more complex. In her book Kachinas in the Pueblo World, Polly Schaafsma described the loss of much of the Kachina cult at Hopi. First through the efforts of the Spanish after their conquest of the southwest to eradicate native religions and supplant them with Christianity. This was conducted by the destruction of religious items and shrines, even religious leaders on occasion. Among Pueblo peoples this was manifested by burning Kachina masks, costumes and dolls, and outlawing the dances and ceremonies. Then in the nineteenth century Hopi was swept by smallpox epidemics which killed many of the elders who possessed the ceremonial knowledge necessary for the rites.

This was apparently the case with the Hopi Shalako. Its first recorded appearance at Hopi was in 1870 and its second was in 1893. At the 1893 reappearance a Hopi informant stated that their Shalako ceremony had not occurred for over 30 years. This Hopi Shalako was based on the Zuni Sio Shalako, but the ceremony was Hopi based upon reconstructions from memories. Schaafsma relates this story on pages 142 and 143 of her book Kachinas in the Pueblo World, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 1994. She also related how the lost Hopi Shalako returned to Second Mesa through the efforts of the great Hopi painter Fred Kobotie who painted a reproduction based upon two tablitas he found in the basement of the New Mexico Museum of fine arts, and recognized them as belonging to the Hopi Shalako based on his memories of descriptions by his grandfather.

Zuni Shalako dance, 

Internet, Public Domain.

Shalako mask pictograph, Zuni,

Village of the Great Kivas,

New Mexico. Photo. Teresa Weedin.

Shalako depictions are found in rock art in the area of the Western Pueblos near both Hopi and Zuni, and are also found in the Rio Grande area. The examples shown here are petroglyphs of Shalakos from west of Albuquerque and from Galisteo dike east of the Rio Grande and south of Santa Fe, and a beautifully painted contemporary pictograph of Shalako from the panel of Kachina masks at the Village of the Great Kivas near Zuni." (Faris 2009)

Zuni Shalako, early 1900s,

p.138,Classic Hopi and Zuni

Kachina Figures, photo Andrea Portago,

Mus. of NM Press, Santa Fe.

Sia Salako, Zuni Shalako, p.102,

Hopi Indian Kachina Dolls,

by Oscar T. Branson, 1992.

The Shalako certainly have impressively distinctive shapes. "In the personization of these giants, the mask is fastened to a stick, which is carried aloft by a man concealed by blankets which are extended by hoops to form the body." (Fewkes 1985:66)

              

Shalako, Comanche Gap,

Galisteo Dike, New Mexico.

Photo. Peter Faris, 1988.

Seeing the motions of this giant, birdlike being, with its head gracefully bobbing and dipping high in the air, would be an unforgettable experience. And seeing the image (the petroglyph or pictograph) of this being inevitably recalls the accompanying sounds and motions. For me it always happened when my grandchildren watched big bird on Sesame Street.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Faris, Peter

2009 Kachinas In Rock Art - The Shalako, November 11, 2009, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com

Fewkes, Jesse Walter

1985 Hopi Katcinas, Dover Publications, Inc., New York

Fowles, Severin, and Jimmy Arterberry

2013 Gesture and performance in Comanche Rock Art, pages 67-82, in World Art 2013, Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, UK.

Kennard, Edward A.,

2002 Hopi Kachinas, Kiva Publishing, Walnut, CA.

Schaafsma, Polly

1994 Kachinas in the Pueblo World, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque

IS THIS CHARLES DARWIN'S BEAR PICTOGRAPH?

- - Continued from last week - -

Found among Charles Darwin’s personal correspondence is this letter from Ft. Lyon, in southeastern Colorado. (letter no. 9466) The photograph mentioned in the letter has not been relocated and is so far unknown.

“From G. S. Anderson,

Fort Lyon C. T., U. S.

May 24^th, 1874

Mr. Charles Darwin, F.R.S. & c,

Hon. Sir;

It is with a feeling of great diffidence that I forward you by this mail a photograph of a natural curiosity found near this post, in Lat 37^o30^’N, Long. 103^o20^’W., as I hesitate to intrude my ignorant curiosity on your valuable time.

The object in question is a very accurate representation of some animal not unlike the Grizzly Bear found hereabouts, except in the peculiar formation of the mouth & nose.

The image is painted—as it were—on a perpendicular face of a very soft grey sandstone rock, about 40 feet from its base & 38 feet from its top, but may be easily reached—to the level of the bottom of the picture—by climbing over the dèbris at the foot of the bluff.

The coloring matter appears to be iron (probably Fe₃O₄) and penetrates the rock to a depth of more than 1/2 inch.

The image is in length, from nose to tail, about 8½ feet; it was found here by the first white settlers who came to the country, & Indian tradition refers its origin to a most remote past. Among the Indians—who hold it in the highest veneration—it is called a “Bear”, & worshipped as such. The color is noticeably darkest near the shoulder, growing gradually lighter toward either extremity.

I have forwarded copies of the photo. to several scientific men in this country, & from a few have received acknowledgements. Prof. Henry of the Smith’n. Instn. suggested that it is a work of Indian art, but the color—which is the same as that with which the rock is in many places stained—seems to have withstood the action of the weather too well, & to have penetrated too deep into the rock to add confirmation to this theory.

Prof. Kendrick of the U.S. Mil. Acad, at West Point, thinks it a lusus naturæ.

I am Sir with great respect, | Your Most Obedient | & Humble serv’t. | Geo. S. Anderson | 2^nd. Lieutⁿ. Cav U.S. Army”

(Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019 - I wish to extend an extra thank you to Rosemary Clarkson of the Darwin Correspondence Project for her generous assistance with my inquiry.)

On June 3, 2009, I wrote in RockArtBlog “Charles Darwin’s Bear” in which I reported this correspondence and a conversation I had with Larry Loendorf about the identity of Charles Darwin’s Bear. We agreed that, because of the reported size, it was likely to be the large bear in the Picketwire Canyon. “This figure was prominent, had been publicized and discovered early on – its photograph had been printed in newspapers. Loendorf also pointed out that it was originally known as the “cinnamon bear” because rain runoff from the canyon rim had dyed it red with the red dust of the soil. This seems to match the description of it being “apparently ‘painted’ with red iron on the face of a soft rock.” (Loendorf 2009) Another resemblance is the fact that it is the “darkest near the shoulder, growing gradually lighter toward each extremity.”

Stero-view card of Purgatoire river bear
(sometimes known as "don't
deface the bear"). Photograph
Byron H. Gurnsey, 1874.

Some time later I received a correspondence from Russell A. Potter which included this stereoscopic view card, suggesting that it might be the same image. A little background research actually suggests that this might be true. The label on the back of the stereo card says it was made by a photographer named Byron H. Gurnsey. Gurnsey “operated a photographic studio in Sioux City, Iowa from about 1866 until he sold out in 1871.” (Ephriam 2015)

From 1872 until his death in 1880 Byron operated a photographic studio in Colorado Springs, specializing in scenes from the Rocky Mountains. 

The inscription on the back of the stereo card reads:

“Gurnsey’s

Rocky Mountain Views,

Published at Colorado Springs, Colorado,
Pike’s Peak Avenue. No. 99,

Photograph of a Bear on the Rock.

This great Natural Curiosity was discovered
about the year 1833 by some Voyageurs
and Trappers, and consists

of a distinct Photograph or Picture of a

Bear, impressed on the face of a

cliff of solid rock on the

Purgatoire River, 18 miles from
Las Animas, Colorado.

It is supposed to be an Electric Photograph.”

By “Electric Photograph” I believe he means an image burned onto the rock face by a lightning strike very near a bear standing by the cliff, in much the same way as the faint ghostly images of victims were found on some concrete surfaces in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bomb blasts.

A second version of the label exists which reads as follows:

"Gurnsey's

Rocky Mountain Views,

Published at Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Scenes on the Line of the Denver
& Rio Grande Railway.

Natural Photograph of a Bear

on the rocks of the Purgatoire River.

No. 99. 18 miles from Las Animas, Colorado."

Note that both versions of the card label state that the original image is along the Purgatoire River, also pointing to "Don't Deface the Bear" as the probable original.

Since Anderson sent the photo to Charles Darwin in 1874, and since we know that Gurnsey was living and photographing in Colorado from 1872 on, and since we now have a photograph of a large bear taken by Gurnsey, I believe it is reasonable to assume that Anderson did, indeed, send a copy of this stereo card to Charles Darwin, and that until other information surfaces we may safely assume (keeping in mind that this is still only circumstantial evidence) that this is indeed likely to be Charles Darwin’s Bear.

REFERENCES:

Anderson, G. S.,

1874 Personal Correspondence, From the Darwin Correspondence Project Archives: DAR 159:58, Cite As: Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019.

Clarkson, Rosemary,

2009 Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019

Ephriam,

2015 Byron H. Gurnsey, 1833-1889, Jan. 23, 2015, http://amertribes.proboards.com/thread/2206/byron-gurnsey-1833-1880

CHARLES DARWIN'S BEAR - REVISITED:

"Don't Deface the Bear", Purgatoire

River Canyon, Colorado. Photograph

Peter Faris, June 1991.

In 1874, the great Charles Darwin received a letter with an accompanying photograph from a G. J. Anderson. This letter read as follows:

“From G. J. Anderson

Fort Lyon, C. T.  U. S. America

May 24^th 1874

Mr. Charles Darwin, F.R.S. & c.

Hon. Sir;

It is with a feeling of great diffidence that I forward you by this mail a photograph of a natural curiosity found near this post, in Lat 37° 30’ N, Long. 103° 20’ W., as I hesitate to intrude my ignorant curiosity on your valuable time.

The object in question is a very accurate representation of some animal not unlike the Grizzly Bear found hereabouts, except in the peculiar formation of the mouth & nose.

The image is painted----as it were----on a perpendicular face of a very soft grey sandstone rock, about 40 feet from its base & 38 feet from its top, but may be easily reached----to the level of the bottom of the picture----by climbing over the debris at the foot of the bluff.

The coloring matter appears to be iron (probably Fe³O⁴) and penetrates the rock to a depth of more than ½ inch.

The image is in length, from nose to tail, about 8½ feet; it was found here by the first white settlers who came to the country, & Indian tradition refers to its origin to a most remote past. Among the Indians----who hold it in the highest veneration----it is called a “”Bear””, & worshipped as such. The color is noticeably dark near the shoulder, growing gradually lighter toward either extremity.

I have forwarded copies of the photo. To several scientific men in this country, & from a few have received acknowledgements. Prof. Henry of the Smith’n. Instn. Suggested that it is a work of Indian art, but the color----which is the same as that with which the rock is in many places stained----seems to have withstood the action of the weather too well, & to have penetrated too deep into the rock to add confirmation to this theory.

Prof. Kendrick of the U.S. Mil. Acad, at west point, thinks it a lusus naturae.

I am Sir with great respect, Your most obedient & Humble servt.

Geo. J. Anderson 2^nd. Lieutⁿ. Cav U.S. Army”

(Clarkson, Rosemary, 2009, Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019)

(Note: At that date the C.T. in the originating address would have stood for Colorado Territory. I have reproduced Anderson’s abbreviations and punctuations as accurately as my keyboard would let me.)

I first wrote about this in a column on June 3, 2009, titled “Charles Darwin’s Bear” in which I reported that I had conversed about this with Larry Loendorf and he and I agreed that, given the size, it was likely to refer to the great Picketwire “Don’t Deface the” Bear. The color of that bear is wrong, but Loendorf said that it used to be called the “cinnamon bear” so the color has apparently changed with age.

Actual location of the site

in Anderson's letter by his.

coordinates, Google Earth.

Now I do not have accurate enough maps to work out the exact distances but I believe that 37 deg. 30' North by 103 deg. 20' West places this site in the northeast corner of Las Animas County, Colorado.

Close-up of the actual location

of the site in Anderson's letter.

Google Earth.

My August 4, 2019, inquiry with Las Animas County got this response: "The lat. lon. location is North of Kim, CO, just west of Hwy. 109 in Las Animas County. It appears the property is owned by (name withheld for personal privacy.)" (Lucero 2019)

The bear in Purgatoire Canyon is 25 miles or so from the site of the exact coordinates reported, however, we have no way of knowing the accuracy that Anderson could have achieved in his calculations and, until we get better information I have to assume that Anderson could have been 25 miles off, after all he did not have GPS.  It would be of great interest, however, if someone would visit the site of the precise coordinates and see if there is a bear pictograph there. Bear pictographs are common in southeast Colorado, but not bear pictographs 8½ feet long as reported. Until proven otherwise I believe we will just have to assume that Charles Darwin's Bear is the large "Don't Deface the Bear" in the Picketwire (Purgatoire) River Canyon and that Loendorf was correct all along.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them.

REFERENCES:

Anderson, G. S.,

1874 Personal Correspondence, From the Darwin Correspondence Project Archives: DAR 159:58, Cite As: Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019.

Clarkson, Rosemary,

2009 Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9466,” accessed on 3 August 2019

Faris, Peter,

2009 Charles Darwin’s Bear, June 3, 2009, RockArtBlog, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Darwin

Loendorf, Larry

2009  Personal communication.

Lucero, Paula,

2019 Personal communication.