Mysterious 8,000-Year-Old Petroglyphs Of Unknown Beings Of Sego Canyon, Utah

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com - The petroglyphs of Sego Canyon in Utah look like beings we see in science fiction movies, but these figures are not modern inventions. These carvings were made thousands of years ago, and their alien-like appearance makes many people wonder what their creators saw or thought back then.

Utah's petroglyphs are thousands of years old. Credit: Patrick J. Wall/Danita Delimont - Adobe Stock

The study of petroglyphs is important because rock art offers a unique opportunity to look through the eyes of ancient people. By examining ancient rock art, we can better understand how people understood the world, and these images often had deep cultural and religious significance for the societies that created them.

Sometimes, petroglyphs can be easily deciphered, and archaeologists can determine if the ancient depictions served as astronomical markers, communication symbols, or even some form of writing. Several petroglyphs have baffled scientists because the beings carved on walls simply do not resemble humans.

Some of the most unusual and mysterious petroglyphs can be found in Utah. Located north of Thompson Springs, Sego Canyon, also known as Book Cliffs and Thompson Wash, has a rich history, and here we can admire rock art from the Archaic period.

Life-Sized Beings Carved On The Walls In Sego Canyon

The sandstone cliffs of Sego Canyon are covered with very unusual petroglyphs, and many who favor more controversial explanations suggest these are depictions of aliens whose ancestors witnessed.  Many mainstream scientists suggest these odd, almost ghost-like beings carved on the canyon’s walls were carved by spiritual leaders, such as shamans, in an altered state of consciousness, perhaps induced by the use of natural hallucinogens.

The petroglyphs of Sego Canyon go back to three different periods and cultures, from 6,000 B.C. to 1,880 A.C.

The ancient figures are often without arms and have very large eyes. Credit: RLW - Adobe Stock

What did Native Americans think when they produced rock art of larger-than-life-size anthropomorphic (manlike) forms with no eyes, arms, or legs? Other depicted figures have bug eyes, antennae, earrings, snakes in hand, and leg-less torsos. They are remarkable, aren’t they?

Some of the petroglyphs were created by the Fremont Indians, who thrived from about A.D. 600 to A.D.1250, contemporary with the Anasazi Culture of the Four Corners area.

As discussed on Ancient Pages before, the Fremont Indians lived often in rugged places, but they knew how to adapt to the environment. They were closely tied to nature and its changes, which means they had to be very flexible and adaptive to quickly modify their way of life.

Fremont pictographs and petroglyphs are famous. They depict trapezoidal figures with arms, legs, and fingers and are decorated with headdresses and necklaces; there are also animal-like figures such as deer, dogs, bighorn sheep, birds, snakes, and lizards.

The Fremont Indians also produced curious small clay people figurines that were decorated with necklaces, ear bobs, necklaces, clothing, and hair.

The purpose of these figurines is still unknown, but it has been suggested the artifacts may have been associated with fertility or religious rituals of the Fremont people.

Can Some Petroglyphs In Utah Depict The Kachinas?

There is an interesting connection between the Anasazi cliff dwellers and the Hopi. The Anasazi attained a high level of culture for their time and then abandoned it all. They also occupied the valleys and plains in the “Four Corners” region of North America and they built great cities and ceremonial centers with kivas, special sacred buildings. The kivas are also associated with the Pueblo and Hopi tribes, connected with their belief in the Kachina spirits. The hatchway was symbolic of the gateway between our world and the “fourth world,” the realm of the spirits.

In another article, Ancient Pages explained how the Hopi perceived the Kachinas. “According to the Hopi, the Kachinas were no gods but could be described as watchers. The gods sent them, and their mission was to teach, defend, and watch over the Hopi.

Kachina dolls.

The Kachinas were real physical beings of flesh and blood and looked just like ordinary humans. They came from a distant planet, the Hopi, called Tóonáotakha, located outside our solar system.

The Kachinas used flying vehicles to move around on Earth or when they traveled back to their home planet.

These flying machines had different sizes and names. One of them was called "Páatoówa ".

This object was used to fly above the water. Furthermore, their crafts were extremely fast, and the Kachinas could conquer immense distances in space in only a few seconds.”

Can some of the petroglyphs in Sego Canyon be depictions of the Kachinas?

Target Of Vandalism - Sego Canyon's Petroglyphs Must Be Respected And Preserved

The rock art of Sego Canyon is a true wonder, and it raises many questions about our ancient past, but sadly, these magnificent petroglyphs have been a target of vandalism.

This ancient site is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act provide serious penalties for vandals.

The Great Gallery, an extensive panel in the Barrier Canyon Style in Canyonlands National Park. Credit: Surfsupusa - CC BY 3.0

It’s important to remember this is a historical site, no matter what we may think about these mysterious carvings. Whether we think they are ancient aliens, ghosts, spirits, or fantasies of shamans, the fact remains these petroglyphs are a legacy of our ancestors. We should do whatever it takes to preserve the rock art of Sego Canyon.

Anyone with the privilege of visiting this remarkable place should show respect so future generations can also admire these astonishing petroglyphs and think about them as we do today.

Updated on January 21, 2024

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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