Pictographs occur at several localities along the Mimbres. As these
have a general likeness to each other and differ from those of other
regions, they are supposed to be characteristic of the prehistoric
people. They are generally pecked on the sides of boulders or on
the face of the cliffs in the neighborhood of prehistoric sites of
dwellings. Although there is only a remote likeness between these
pictographs and figures on pottery, several animal forms are common to
the two.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.—Pictographs.]
The most important group of pictographs (fig. 3) seen by the author
are situated about nine miles from Deming in the western foot-hills of
Cook’s Peak.[21] Some of the pictographs recall decorations on bowls
from Pajarito Park.
Another large collection of Mimbres pictographs, visited by the author,
is found at Rock Canyon, three or four miles above Oldtown, at a point
where the cliffs approach the western bank of the river. On the river
terrace not far above this collection of pictures, also on the right
bank of the river, lies the extensive ruin of a prehistoric settlement,
the walls of which project slightly above the surface. This ruin has
been dug into at several points revealing several fine pieces of
pottery, fragments of metates, and other implements, which are said to
have been found in the rooms. A mile down the valley overlooking the
river there is another cluster of pictures at a ruin called “Indian
graveyard,” probably because human skeletons have been dug out of the
floors of rooms.