"Todd Bostwick, an archaeologist who has studied the Hohokam for more than twenty years, and Peter Krocek, a professional photographer with a passion for archaeology, have combed the South Mountains to locate nearly all of the ancient petroglyphs found in the canyons and ridges. Their years of learning the landscape and investigating the ancient designs have resulted in a book that explores this wealth of prehistoric rock art within its natural and cultural contexts, revealing what these carvings might mean, how they got there, and when they were made." "Landscape of the Spirits is the first book to cover these ancient images and is one of the most comprehensive treatments of a rock art location ever published. It conveys the range of different rock art elements and compositions found in the South Mountains - animals, humans, and geometric shapes, as well as celestial and calendrical markings at key sites - through accurate descriptions, drawings, and photographs. Interpretations of the petroglyphs are based on Native American ethnographic accounts and consider the most recent theories concerning shamanism and archaeoastronomy."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

31930000412123 2002-868 hardcover

1. Learning the Landscape 2. Investigating Ancient Art in the Sonoran Desert 3. Dating Rock Art in the South Mountains 4. Small Critters: Insects and Other Arthropods 5. Creatures of the Underworld: Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish 6. Our Four-Legged Brothers: Mammals

7. Friends of the Upper World: Birds 8. Humans and Spirit Beings: Anthropomorphs 9. Abstract Mysteries: Geometric Designs 10. Saluting the Sun: A Hohokam Calendar 11. Dreams, Memories, and Signs: A Summary of South Mountains Rock Art.