“The deserts of the American Southwest abound with ancient literature.” Petroglyphs — images or symbols chipped into the rock — are found throughout the area, left by its prehistoric inhabitants. Their meanings are obscure, the subject of much speculation and little proof.

Even when an image seems clear, its meaning isn’t as easy. Does a glyph that looks like a deer mean this is a good hunting area, frequented by deer? Does it record a specific hunt? Perhaps it honored a deer-related god? Or was it just the idle chippings of a bored and artistic traveler — ancient graffiti?

In most cases we’ll probably never know, but one group of petroglyphs may have yielded up its secrets. A couple of amateur Arizona archaeologist say these “water glyphs” were used by the ancient Anasazi used to find scarce water sources in the desert.

The markers seem to act something like a map of motel locations. Just as a modern traveler could look at such a map and decide where he would be assured lodging for the night, one of the Anasazi well-versed in reading these symbols would have known where he could next stop for water and shelter.”

Bob Ford and Dixon Spendlove have identified and studied more than 270 examples of these symbols, across more than 2,000 square miles, throughout the ancient Anasazi homeland. Each glyph is at one water source, and points to another, enabling you to hop from water to water across the desert.

Just take a quick walk in the desert today, and imagine heading off on a lengthy trek across the forbidding (and potentially deadly) desert. You’ll wish you had a reliable water map.

A thousand years ago, they did.

Wilderness Utah: Water trails of the Anasazi

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Our desert hiking trips in Arizona and New Mexico come supplied with plenty of water, but you’ll quickly get an idea of how hard it must have been for earlier travelers without all our conveniences. It’s spectacular country, but not easy for the unprepared!

Friday photo - from Chimayo, near Santa Fe, New Mexico:

(click for larger image)

The tiny town of Chimayo, not far from Santa Fe, is home to a shrine known for its miraculous healing powers. The Santuario has been healing people’s ailments for centuries, and thousands of pilgrims visit each year seeking a cure. Many believe the secret is in the healing dirt. (I’ve got my bag of dirt at home!)

Whether you’re one of the blessed who can leave your crutches behind here or not, it’s a beautiful place to visit. The photo gives you an idea of its serene charm.

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We do women’s trips to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. I love the southwestern feel, the wide open spaces, the spectacular hiking, and the rich multicultural history and ambience. And then there’s the food — mmmm.

A bill to reform the 135 year old law governing hardrock mining passed the US House last year, and now the Senate is looking at it. Some say that the law made sense when it was passed in 1872, but times have changed. Gee, ya think?

“When the law was passed, it was lone prospectors with pack mules, and today, it’s a modern mining industry.” Currently, international corporations are allowed to take resources from US public land, without compensating taxpayers.

New Mexico has been one of the states hardest hit by pollution from old mines, and the new legislation would charge royalties to companies, and use some of that to pay for cleanup. It would also help protect the public interest - e.g. to protect the water supply. Right now, if a mine is staked on public land, you can’t say no.

That’s right - you could put your uranium mine anywhere on public land, and the public can’t have a say in it, and the public doesn’t get any $ for it, and the public is left with the cleanup costs. Does the phrase “public land” seem like a misnomer?

Predictably, opponents think that charging royalties will cut into their profits a bit too much. Seems like they’ve had it their way for the last 135 years.

Insight New Mexico: Updating Old Mining Law has NM Implications

We visit northern New Mexico each year on our women’s tour to Santa Fe & Taos. It’s a unique and beautiful area, and I certainly hope that we can all keep it that way. And yes, I agree that times may have changed a tad since 1872 - no blogging back then!

The Santuario de Chimayo is a small church not far from Santa Fe. It’s main claim to fame is its healing dirt. Pilgrims come here from far and wide, hoping to be cured of whatever ails them. Some rub the dirt on their bodies; some even eat it. A collection of crutches and braces at the site attests to its effectiveness.

The story of the Santuario started in 1810, when Bernardo Abeyta found a buried cross shining a bright light from underground. This miraculous cross kept returning to the same location, no matter where they took it. Eventually Bernardo became the first to be cured at this spot. Many more have followed, and the Santuario was built on the site.

Now the pastor of the church is sowing doubt among believers. He has faith in the miracles, but says they come from God, not the dirt.

New York Times: A pastor begs to differ with flock

Personally, I’ve got a baggie of healing dirt from a visit to Chimayo a few years ago. It’s sitting in a drawer in the bathroom, and it seems to be working fine from there. I haven’t been sick or injured in the meantime, except for a sprained ankle when whitewater rafting in northern Canada, thousands of miles away from my dirt. Could that be just coincidence??

We’ll be visiting Chimayo on our Santa Fe trip in September. It’s well worth a visit, and we provide baggies in case you want to sample the healing dirt. Hey, what can it hurt? While you’re there, check out Holy Chiles across the way for some of the best chile products in New Mexico.

Sheriff Darren White hopes to succeed Pete Dominici as senator from New Mexico. He’s also got a band of rockers out to convince kids to “just say no”.

See the video: Sheriff Greg Solano Blog: Funny Friday- Rock and Roll Sheriff

We visit New Mexico on our women’s trip to Santa Fe & Taos in September. Little did I know they had such musical sheriffs! Whenever I run across related items of interest, I’ll post in our Santa Fe category.

The conventional story is that the ancestral puebloans (commonly known as Anasazi) who used to inhabit the four corners area of the southwestern US, did not have alcohol until it was introduced to the area by the Spanish in the 16th century.

A new study casts doubt on this, suggesting that they may have made beer from fermented corn kernels. Sophisticated scientific analysis of their clay pots has shown the presence of organic chemicals that are consistent with this theory.

Did early Southwestern Indians ferment corn and make beer?

The southwest is full of fascinating history. We visit Anasazi ruins on our Santa Fe & Taos women’s trip, as well as a pueblo inhabited by their descendants. I’ll post any related items of interest in our Santa Fe category.