Canebrake Skeleton Pictographs

Hidden in a granite rock shelter near an ancient Kumeyaay village site is a set of unique pictographs. Most of these pictographs are typical of the La Rumorosa Style but what is unusual here are the skeleton figures. I have not seen them anywhere else in the Kumeyaay territory.

Some speculate that these skeleton figures symbolize a shaman reaching a state of trance, the death of the physical body, and entering into the spiritual world.

This is a special and sacred place. Please respect it.

Canebrake Wash Skeleton Pictographs

55 photos

I spot what looks like a grinding slick off my trail.

Looks like a mano sitting there too.

Grinding area

Hedgehog cactus

In bloom

This Larkspur was a surprise to see.

Pottery sherd

Side view of the pottery piece

More pieces of pottery. I left them all where I found them.

Lots of bits of pottery here. That's a good sign.

A collection pile

Pottery sherds

Previous visitors have left an offering in a small mortar.

It took a little bit of searching but I finally find the pictograph shelter.

The ceiling of the shelter is amazing!

There are a lot of pictographs here.

This skeleton anthropomorph is amazing!

This is a false color D-Stretch of the pictograph

Skeleton figure

Close up

If you look close you can see the lines connect. Rainwater has washed some of the pictograph away.

This false color image shows the lines connecting

Faded pictograph

This pictograph shows up in this false color D-Stretch image

Looks like suns and stars

False color D-Stretch image

False color D-Stretch image

One of the two orange circles

This circle has something in the center but it is hard to tell.

False color D-Stretch image of hte circle

Another skeleton figure

This figure shows up very well in this false color D-Stretch image

This always makes me think of a junction of two washes

False color D-Stretch image

Very faint figure

The main part of the panel

This looks like a metate

I spot a few more pottery sherds

This is an amazing place but it is time to head home.