V-V Heritage Site

 V-V (pronounced "v bar v") Heritage Site was the winter headquarters of an old cattle ranch in the 1900's that had a secret! V-V was the brand used on this ranch that had numerous owners in the 1900's most notably James and Ida May Swift Minotto of the Chicago Swift Meat Packing Company fame. In 1994, it was sold/gifted to the Arizona College of Agriculture who in turn traded it to the U.S. Forest Service. Now why on earth would the Forest Service want a cattle ranch??? 

 Because way back on the property, was a secluded area that held THOUSANDS of petroglyphs drawn by the Sinaguan people! It's one of the best preserved sites anywhere around!

 Archaeologists estimate the rock art began somewhere around 900 A.D. and continued until the Sinaguans left the area somewhere around 1300 to 1400 A.D. Exciting stuff! Somewhere within  a mile or so there is a fairly large pueblo (didn't go on a trek through the brush to find it) and it was those folks who posted their artwork on these nice, flat, protected boulders.

Amazingly enough, I did not notice any graffiti from modern (or the last few hundred years) time. Most likely because this was private property held for over a century.

I was a bit disappointed though that the guide/guard was not to knowledgeable about the people, culture or drawings. Too bad Bob, from Palatki wasn't here! He's the one who insisted that we come to this site.

 If I remember correctly, the men with the long fingers and toes are not aliens, but rather shaman or medicine men.

 I was just amazed by the sheer volume of the rock art as was Ellie.

Finally, the sun had come out, the temperatures were in the low 70's, the birds were singing! And the scenery on the short 1/2 mile trail back to the car was just stunning!