Book Cliffs
Rock Art: Thompson Canyon Rock Art Site
This page contains a discussion of the rock art found on the several rock are panels located in Thompson Canyon, near the ghost town of Sego, Utah. All photographs are from our our personal collection. If you'd like to see more rock art from this location, or if you'd like to see higher resolution or larger images, send us an e-mail message and we'll see what we can do.
To reach the Thompson Canyon Site (also known as the Sego Rock Art Panels) take the Interstate 70 Exit 185 to Thompson Springs and head north through the small town on a paved road. You will enter Thompson Canyon in the Book Cliffs. Follow the signs to Sego Canyon toward the ghost town of Sego. The pavement ends and turns into a dirt road near a large parking area on the left side at GPS Coordinates 39 01.070N; 109 42.613W, at an elevation of 5,537 feet. There is a modern vault toilet there, but no drinking water. The Historic Panel and the Fremont/Anasazi Panel are readily visible from the parking area. There are descriptive signs to explain the site.
This is one of the more amazing sites that we've visited, in that there are so many representations of these major cultural groups on distinct panels, as well as some crossover. It is also an interesting site because of the number of pictographs and petroglyphs scattered around the area.
Unfortunately, probably due to the proximity of the ghost town of Sego and the numbers of people who must have passed these displays over the years, there is a great deal of modern graffiti. That is a real shame, because some wonderful examples of ancient art work have been damaged. There has been some restoration work completed on the main panels, but the surfaces across the road, near the corral, do not look as if they have been retouched.
Across the road from the main three panels there is a small corral, with a good sized outcrop behind it. There are examples of all three styles, as well as modern graffiti, scattered across this surface. Some quite impressive.
We also did see several petroglyphs that have red paint covering them, similar to that used on some of the red images. This would indicate that the paint is younger than the pecked images. This type of red paint also appears to be different than that used on the Barrier Canyon images and it makes me wonder if perhaps this type of red is part of the much younger Historic Ute tradition. Not being an expert, I just don't know. But for the sake of this discussion, I've placed these pictographs among the Barrier Canyon Style until I get further evidence to the contrary.
For more information on how to preserve and protect these priceless historic treasures visit the links below, or see our Personal Notes for more details about this area.
- Archaeological Resources Protection Act Hotline: 800-227-7286.
- See Archaeological Site Etiquette.
- See American Antiquities Act of 1906.
- See Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979.
- See More Rock Art Sites.
Photo Gallery
All of these photos have been resized and manipulated in Photoshop to give the best representation of the image. Some color distortion is inevitable. If you would like to see higher quality versions of these shots, or if you would like to use these images for any purpose, please contact us and we would be glad to help if we can.
Anasazi and Fremont Panel
This photo shows the main panel of Fremont and Anasazi style art work. These petroglyphs are superimposed over what appear to be faded red Barrier Canyon style pictographs. Some of the red images appear to have wings.
The Fremont and Anasazi style images show the typical triangular body shapes for the anthropormorphs, as well as a variety of desert bighorn sheep and other odd figures. There is also what may be some sort of calendar, but I'm not sure if it is a solar calendar, since this panel faces south and the only possible rock structure that might cast a shadow or beam of light across this face is high up and far to the west. But without observing a solstice or equinox in the evening to see where the light is cast one just doesn't know.
Another interesting figure on this panel is what looks like an arm with a hand and five fingers. It is in the middle of this photo, between the two prominent anthropomorphic figures. There is also an image that could be either a representation of a basket or a bear's paw. And, far off to the right, by itself, is a small figure that leaves little doubt that it is a beaver.
Select an image or figure number to see a full sized version.
| Anthropomorphs | |
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TC010: Three anthropomorphs and body parts. Fremont style. Petroglyph. |
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TC029: Possibly an anthropomorph, with floppy ears or hands on hips. There is red paint over part of this figure. Petroglyph with pictograph elements. |
| Calendars and Astronomical Events | |
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TC013: Possibly a calendar. Petroglyph. |
| Panels and Mixed Groups | |
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TC012: Possibly a shield, an anthropomorph, and perhaps a basket. Petroglyph. |
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TC026: A cultural collage, with both petroglyph and pictograph elements. The main figure might be a vulva form. |
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TC039: Panel from across the road. on the east side of the canyon. Petroglyph. |
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TC040: A portion of TC039, showing a close up of the large zoomorph that has antlers like an elk but has a long tail and unusual hollow torso. There is also a large human foot and a mixture of other elements. Petroglyph. |
| Zoomorphs | |
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TC009: A beaver. Petroglyph. |
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TC011: Two desert big horn sheep. Petroglyph. |
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TC016: Two zoomorphs. One looks like a desert big horn while the other looks like a canine. Petroglyph. |
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TC028: Possibly a bear foot or a basket. Petroglyph. |
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TC030: Possibly a big horn sheep, with droopy horns with balls on the end of each. Petroglyph. |
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TC036: Three desert big horn sheep. Petroglyph. |
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TC044: A desert big horn possibly giving birth. Petroglyph. |
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TC048: A desert big horn. Petroglyph. |
Barrier Canyon Style Panels
Around the rocky corner from the Fremont and Anasazi Panel is the Barrier Canyon Style Panel. This panel faces east and is the most exciting of the three main panels. Here you'll find all sorts of strange looking anthropmorphic pictographs that may date back 8,000 years. As you can see from this photo, there are a variety of colors and the figures show a range of size and style.
There are some of the most interesting individual figures that I've seen anywhere, and the number of anthropmorphic figures is truly amazing. Be sure to view the full sized photos below, under More Rock Art, to get an appreciation of the strangeness of these characters.
For those who lean toward some alien visitation from space, there are several vivid examples of anthropomorphs with bug eyes and antennae. And one figure, the third from the left in the photo below, even has a small "rocket ship" positioned next to it (that may also be a spear point). There are also winged figures and a few petroglyphs that resemble those we've seen on the Golf Course Panel near Moab, Utah, with what look like floppy ears and their hands on their hips.
Select an image or figure number to see a full sized version.
| Anthropomorphs | |
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TC014: A winged anthropomorph with other smaller anthropomorphs in a Barrier Canyon Style. Pictograph. |
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TC015: A series of red painted anthropomorphs in a Barrier Canyon Style. Pictograph. |
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TC018: Three red painted anthropomorphs in the Barrier Canyon Style. There is also a large snake. These are among the most interesting anthropomorphs that I've seen and are no doubt some of the images that inspire comparisons to space alien visitors due to the helmet like heads with large round eyes and "antennae" extending from the top. See also TC023, TC024, and TC025. Pictograph. |
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TC020: A dark red painted anthropomorph with a white painted outline in the Barrier Canyon Style. Pictograph. |
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TC021: A red painted anthropomorph and possibly a red painted plant. Pictograph. |
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TC022: Several red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorphs with two winged figures; one is possibly an anthropomorph while the other appears to be a flying bird. See also TC032. Pictograph. |
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TC023: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph. See also TC018. Pictograph. |
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TC024: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph. See also TC018. Pictograph. |
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TC025: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph holding a staff or weapon. See also TC018. Pictograph. |
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TC027: Several red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph. Pictograph. |
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TC031: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph; possibly a shaman with spirit helpers in the form of snakes. One of the snakes is horned. Pictograph. |
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TC032: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style winged anthropomorph. See also TC022. Pictograph. |
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TC033: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph with a breast plate and zoomorph spirit helpers just above its shoulders. There is also a figure to the right that looks like a "space ship" but probably represents a spear point or some other object. Pictograph. |
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TC034: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph with internal vertical lines within the torso. Pictograph. |
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TC035: A purple painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph with some red paint. The figure has some sort of feathers or other objects protruding from the top of the head. Pictograph. |
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TC041: The upper portion of a red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph with horns. This is from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. Pictograph. |
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TC043: Two red and white painted anthropomorphs that seem to be transitional between Barrier Canyon Style and Fremont. The pictographic style is more Barrier Canyon while the shape of the torsos is more Fremont. This pair is from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. Pictograph. |
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TC045: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph with "antennae." This figure is from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. See also TC046. Pictograph. |
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TC046: Four large and at least two small red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorphs. This panel is from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. See also TC045. Pictograph. |
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TC047: A red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorph holding a zoomorph in its small extended right arm. There are also two other faded anthropomorphs. This group is from the set of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. Pictograph. |
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TC049: Several unusual and quite interesting anthropomorphs from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. See also TC050 and TC051. Pictograph. |
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TC050: Two red painted and horned anthropomorphs from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. See also TC049. Pictograph. |
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TC051: An unusual anthropomorph, possibly a shaman visiting the spirit world; from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. See also TC049. Pictograph. |
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TC052: A red painted anthropomorph with antennae with diagonal lines within the head; the torso is outlined. From the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. Pictograph. |
| Geometric Shapes and Designs | |
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TC053: Geometric patterns, possibly a blanket design; from the group of panels across the road on the east side of the canyon. Pictograph. |
| Panels and Mixed Groups | |
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TC019: A panel of red painted Barrier Canyon Style anthropomorphs with associated zoomorphs. These could be shamanistic figures with their spirit helpers. Pictograph. |
Historic Ute Panel
The panel pictured here shows the most prominent examples of the Historic Ute pictographs at the site. This is the main panel for this type and is the most obvious when you first enter the parking area. The largest figures are about two feet tall. There are shields, horses, human figures with what appear to be weapons, and a critter that looks to be a bison.
Select an image or figure number to see a full sized version.
| Anthropomorphs | |
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TC003: Two humans; one possibly throwing a spear. Pictograph. |
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TC007: Two spirit-like human figures. Pictograph. |
| Geometric Shapes and Designs | |
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TC004: White and red shield with fringe. Pictograph. |
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TC005: A white shield with internal designs and fringe. Pictograph. |
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TC038: Concentric circles painted in white; possibly a shield. Pictograph. |
| Panels and Mixed Groups | |
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TC002: Bison, horse with riders, and a geometric design. Pictograph. |
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TC006: A human figure standing next to a horse. There is a tiny red figure sitting on the back of the horse, and red lines have been added to the horse. The red paint appears to have been added sometime after the original white painting. Pictograph. |
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TC042: This is probably a horse with a rider. Pictograph. |
| Zoomorphs | |
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TC037: Probably a long-legged pronghorn. Pictograph. |
