Glyphland: A maze-like journey

“Rock inscriptions at Roosevelt, Washington, except for one maze-like inscription covering several square feet of rock surface, are nondescript and have apparently little value as an archeological key.” — Herbert Krieger, Ethnologist, 1927 Columbia River survey for the Smithsonian

Glyphland: The strange story of a century of speculation and promotion, and the unlikely journey of the Roosevelt, Washington, petroglyphs.

In sum… In the early 1920s an Oregon newspaper announced discovery of “Picture Writings” near Roosevelt, Washington, on the Columbia River. A popular 1921 volume, Oregon, provided drawings of petroglyphs from the site. In 1928-1929 The Oregon State Motor Association promoted it as destination for vacationers, via ferry from Arlington, Oregon.

Thus began “Glyphland” and nine decades speculation, promotion, displacement, and documentation. The John Day Dam project in the 1950s and 1960s sparked relocation of 27 of the riverside basalt boulders to a civic park near Roosevelt. After forty years and visits by thousands, neglect motivated a 2003 move under the auspices of the Army Corps of Engineers, in consultation with tribal and park representatives, to Horsethief State Park (now Columbia Hills), across from The Dalles, Oregon. 

In 2012 these 27 boulders, cleaned then moved again, joined other petroglyphs displaced by The Dalles Dam in the 1950s to become part of the Temani Pesh-wa Trail. Today this display, along with the nearby Tsagiglalal petroglyph, is a popular heritage attraction.

"maze-like" boulder situated at Horsethief State Park since 2012 -- its fourth move since the 1960s.

(Figures lower right also originally from Columbia River near Roosevelt.)

NOTE: For this paper and others:

https://independent.academia.edu/DouglasBeauchamp