318:
84:
1395:
334:
326:
112:
67:
1406:
119:
91:
392:
and thus elude them." Similarly, an unpublished mid-20th century report cited second-hand ethnographic information that, prior to 1900, the "Mohave used to put some of their men in the center of the area of alignment and left them to find their way out of the maze without crossing the gravel alignments. By doing this they would leave the devil behind them."
454:
Of the nearly sixty sites containing humanoid figures, almost all of them have a deeply entrenched torso, while the limbs are much more shallowly etched into the surface. Often, the head and/or one or more arms of the figure will not have been represented at all. The largest human figure is 171 feet
450:
pilgrimage or simply the practice of the keruk ceremony at various places. The keruk was a mourning ceremony that was practiced by various Native
Americans in southern California. The keruk included the re-enactment of the creator's death and the recognition of the people who had died since the last
391:
reported in 1908 that, "The Mohave
Indians near by have utilized the area ... in recent years, as a maze into which to lure and escape evil spirits, for it is believed that by running in and out through one of these immense labyrinths, one haunted with a dread may bewilder the spirit occasioning it,
395:
However, Ruth Musser-Lopez reviewed historic and archaeological evidence concerning the "maze" and found strong support for the conjecture that the feature was originally created as a result of late nineteenth-century gravel harvesting for railroad construction and thus unrelated to the Blythe
280:
geoglyphs) were created by scraping away layers of darker rocks or pebbles to reveal a stratum of lighter-valued soil. The displaced rocks outlined the figures and the exposed soil was stamped down which makes it more difficult for plants to grow in the lines. The intaglios are located on flat
423:. From this understanding, the figures portray mythic characters, and are often found where mythic events are thought to have occurred. One of the notable mythic figures is a 65-to-80-foot-long (20 to 25 m) humanoid figure located next to a second glyph, this of a quadruped resembling a
361:
The interest in the Blythe intaglios led to the search for and discovery of more desert intaglios. The Bureau of Land
Management erected fences in 1974 to protect the intaglios and the Blythe Intaglios were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
1284:
261:
The Blythe
Intaglios contain three human figures, two four-legged animals, and a spiral; although Harner (1953) reported two spirals. The largest human figure in the Blythe Intaglio group is 171 feet (52 m) long. The intaglios are best viewed from the air.
1430:
1379:
1315:
396:
geoglyphs. For instance, old foot trails exist in undisturbed ground and stop at, but do not cross, the lines of gravel indicating that the gravel is more recent than the trails. The Mojave people have denied knowing the origin of the Topock Maze.
358:. Malcolm J. Rogers subsequently studied and sketched the Blythe Intaglios in 1939. After National Geographic published an article about the Blythe Intaglios in 1952, people began to visit the site which led to some destruction of the intaglios.
1299:
475:
exit and down several dirt roads for 15.5 miles (24.9 km). An historical marker (No. 101) placed by the
California Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, commemorates the site. Chain link fences surround several of the figures.
313:
figures represent horses (reintroduced in North
America by the Spanish) then a historical date would be supported. Jay von Werlhof and his collaborators obtained 13 AMS radiocarbon dates for the figures, ranging from 900 BCE to 1200 CE.
308:
group has claimed to have made the intaglios, although some have claimed to use them. Many of the intaglios are believed to date from the prehistoric period, but their age and the identity of their creators are still uncertain. If the
1485:
1289:
300:
and geometric shapes. The figures are so immense that many of them were not observed by non-natives until the 1930s. The set of Blythe
Intaglios and nearby geoglyphs include several dozen figures, thought to be ceremonial in nature.
1374:
1320:
961:
1341:
1243:
1274:
1208:
1173:
509:
1248:
1153:
1113:
938:
1213:
1203:
1198:
1178:
1294:
1128:
1043:
1163:
1158:
1033:
1253:
1218:
1123:
1098:
1495:
1238:
1188:
1168:
1143:
1133:
1118:
1108:
1093:
1073:
1048:
1038:
1028:
1258:
1233:
1138:
1078:
1058:
1053:
1023:
1013:
268:
are found throughout the world, the construction methods ranging from earthen mounds, piles of stone, or the removal of surface plants or soil. The most famous desert intaglios are the
1193:
1148:
1088:
1063:
1018:
1325:
1223:
1103:
1068:
1279:
1228:
1183:
1083:
991:
976:
451:
keruk. Warfare has been offered a possible explanation as to the spread along the
Colorado River of ceremonies such as the keruk and the similar style of desert intaglios.
1470:
931:
1007:
1490:
1409:
924:
1500:
355:
1399:
1460:
1440:
154:
354:
noticed the Blythe geoglyphs. His find led to a survey of the area in the same year by Arthur
Woodward, Curator of History and Anthropology at the
971:
83:
879:
111:
258:. The Colorado Desert contains the only known desert intaglios in North America. These intaglios are mostly located along the Colorado River.
888:
860:
808:
305:
404:
Patterns and circles at the site suggest that local groups may have danced there. Trails lead to the intaglios and rock alignments and rock
1475:
947:
39:
783:
292:" are found through the deserts of southeastern California, human figures are found only near the Colorado River. Other intaglios depict
1505:
1362:
867:
775:
Altschul, Jeffrey H., and Joseph A. Ezzo. 1995 Ceremony and
Warfare along the Lower Colorado River during the Protohistoric Period.
740:
48:
385:
approximately five feet (1.5 m) apart. However, it is unclear whether the Topock Maze was created by Native Americans.
365:
Similar intaglios, named the Ripley Group, were found nearby in Arizona across the Colorado River from Ripley, California.
1455:
1435:
793:
486:
317:
1367:
1346:
716:
Altschul & Ezzo (1995). "Ceremony and Warfare along the Lower Colorado River during the Protohistoric Period".
1445:
981:
840:
986:
966:
570:
333:
325:
698:
Musser-Lopez, Ruth (2011). ""Mystic Maze" or "Mystic Maize": The Amazing Archaeological Evidence".
378:
243:
239:
409:
1450:
464:
351:
228:
142:
868:
AMS C Age Constraints on Geoglyphs in the Lower Colorado River Region, Arizona and California.
1465:
884:
856:
804:
746:
736:
347:
1510:
916:
432:
850:
447:
1480:
583:
277:
255:
247:
232:
235:. The ground drawings or geoglyphs were created by humans for an as-yet-unknown reason.
416:
293:
251:
66:
192:
1424:
472:
424:
388:
565:
Harner, Michael (1953). "21. Gravel Pictographs of the Lower Colorado River Region".
1380:
University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
597:
Maillard, Frederico (2009). "Geoglyphs on the Har Karkom Plateau (Negev, Israel)".
816:
539:
Leska, Amy (2008). "A brief introduction to the intaglios of the Mojave Desert".
254:. The Blythe Intaglios are the most well-known of the over 200 intaglios in the
910:
504:
499:
463:
The majority of the Blythe geoglyphs are located 16 miles (26 km) north of
436:
374:
269:
1431:
Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in California
832:
Maillard, Federico. 2009 Geoglyphs on the Har Karkom Plateau (Negev, Israel).
468:
443:
297:
289:
282:
903:
825:
Leska, Amy. 2008 A brief introduction to the intaglios of the Mojave Desert.
169:
156:
750:
420:
310:
265:
428:
427:. Additionally, 18-foot-tall (5.5 m) figures bearing a likeness to
382:
381:, covers 18 acres (73,000 m) and consists of a series of parallel
841:"Mystic Maze" or "Mystic Maize": The Amazing Archaeological Evidence.
1375:
List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places
246:, about 15 miles (24 km) north of downtown Blythe, just west of
1486:
National Register of Historic Places in Riverside County, California
866:
von Werlhof, Jay, Harry Casey, Ronald I. Dorn, and Glenn A. Jones.
711:
709:
413:
405:
332:
324:
316:
484:
The intaglios were featured prominently in the Hardy Boys novel
273:
920:
510:
California Historical Landmarks in Riverside County, California
821:
Reports of the University of California Archaeological Survey
799:, edited by Terry L. Jones and Kathryn A. Klar, pp. 273–90.
733:
Why Stop? A Guide to California Roadside Historical Markers
227:
are a group of gigantic figures incised on the ground near
435:, the "hero twins of the creation myth," can be seen near
321:
Blythe Intaglios – Animal and Spirit Figures, October 2016
795:
California Prehistory: Rock Art in the Golden State. In
455:(52 m) long, while the smallest is 95 feet (29 m) long.
843:
Proceedings of the Society for California Archaeology
817:
Gravel Pictographs of the Lower Colorado River Region
777:
Proceedings of the Society for California Archaeology
718:
Proceedings of the Society for California Archaeology
700:
Proceedings of the Society for California Archaeology
735:. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company. p. 21.
1355:
1334:
1308:
1267:
1000:
977:
History of the National Register of Historic Places
954:
675:
673:
209:
198:
185:
148:
138:
1008:List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state
16:Group of incised ground figures in California, US
1496:Native Americans in Riverside County, California
1400:National Register of Historic Places portal
346:In 1932, George Palmer, a pilot flying between
337:Blythe Intaglios – Human Figure 2, October 2016
329:Blythe Intaglios – Human Figure 1, October 2016
852:Sacred Places North America: 108 Destinations.
932:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
412:has tried to place the figures in context of
8:
446:that the intaglios are stopping points on a
356:Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
408:are often near the intaglios. Ethnographer
377:or Mojave Maze, another geoglyph site near
939:
925:
917:
65:
1471:Landmarks of Riverside County, California
948:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
40:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
870:Geoarchaeology: An International Journal
834:Papers, XXIII Valcamonica Symposium 2009
599:Papers, XXIII Valcamonica Symposium 2009
118:
90:
789:Norwood, Massachusetts: Plimpton Press.
645:
643:
641:
639:
637:
635:
520:
883:. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1985.
579:
568:
23:
1491:Native American history of California
797:Colonization, Culture, and Complexity
276:. The Blythe Geoglyphs or intaglios (
7:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
126:Blythe Intaglios (the United States)
1501:Pre-statehood history of California
880:Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World
803:Lanham, MD: Rowman Altamira, 2007.
1363:National Historic Preservation Act
877:Welfare, Simon and Fairley, John.
14:
296:, birds, snakes and unidentified
71:One of the Blythe Intaglios, 2007
1461:Indigenous culture of California
1405:
1404:
1393:
913:, photo gallery, James Q. Jacobs
839:Musser-Lopez, Ruth Arlene. 2001
117:
110:
89:
82:
1441:California Historical Landmarks
281:terraces in the Colorado River
1316:Federated States of Micronesia
962:Architectural style categories
200:
187:
52:
49:California Historical Landmark
1:
129:Show map of the United States
815:Harner, Michael J. 1953 21.
21:United States historic place
1476:Lower Colorado River Valley
658:Welfare and Fairley, p. 117
487:Mystery of the Desert Giant
1527:
1368:Historic Preservation Fund
1347:American Legation, Morocco
1506:Rock art in North America
1388:
1309:Lists by associated state
186:NRHP reference
76:
64:
60:
46:
37:
30:
26:
1290:Northern Mariana Islands
785:Indians of North America
731:Johnson, Marael (1995).
629:von Werlhof et al. 1995.
242:are located east of the
1285:Minor Outlying Islands
1268:Lists by insular areas
982:Keeper of the Register
855:CCC Publishing, 2008.
578:Cite journal requires
338:
330:
322:
170:33.80028°N 114.53833°W
101:Show map of California
98:Location in California
987:National Park Service
967:Contributing property
490:, published in 1961.
336:
328:
320:
1456:Megalithic monuments
1342:District of Columbia
620:Gilreath, pp. 288–89
288:While these "gravel
175:33.80028; -114.53833
379:Needles, California
244:Big Maria Mountains
166: /
1436:Blythe, California
782:Curtis, Edward S.
688:Musser-Lopez 2011.
480:In popular culture
465:Blythe, California
352:Blythe, California
339:
331:
323:
304:No Colorado River
229:Blythe, California
143:Blythe, California
1418:
1417:
972:Historic district
889:978-0-00-217424-4
861:978-1-888729-13-9
809:978-0-7591-1960-4
792:Gilreath, Amy J.
679:Gilreath, p. 289.
442:Some researchers
348:Las Vegas, Nevada
217:
216:
1518:
1408:
1407:
1398:
1397:
1396:
1321:Marshall Islands
941:
934:
927:
918:
911:Blythe Intaglios
907:
906:
904:Official website
827:Trough to trough
764:
761:
755:
754:
728:
722:
721:
713:
704:
703:
695:
689:
686:
680:
677:
668:
665:
659:
656:
650:
649:Gilreath, p. 289
647:
630:
627:
621:
618:
612:
611:Gilreath, p. 288
609:
603:
602:
594:
588:
587:
581:
576:
574:
566:
562:
545:
544:
541:Trough to Trough
536:
225:Blythe Geoglyphs
221:Blythe Intaglios
202:
189:
181:
180:
178:
177:
176:
171:
167:
164:
163:
162:
159:
130:
121:
120:
114:
102:
93:
92:
86:
69:
54:
32:Blythe Intaglios
24:
1526:
1525:
1521:
1520:
1519:
1517:
1516:
1515:
1446:Colorado Desert
1421:
1420:
1419:
1414:
1394:
1392:
1384:
1351:
1330:
1304:
1263:
996:
950:
945:
902:
901:
898:
772:
767:
762:
758:
743:
730:
729:
725:
715:
714:
707:
697:
696:
692:
687:
683:
678:
671:
666:
662:
657:
653:
648:
633:
628:
624:
619:
615:
610:
606:
596:
595:
591:
577:
567:
564:
563:
548:
538:
537:
522:
518:
496:
482:
461:
402:
371:
344:
306:Native American
278:anthropomorphic
256:Colorado Desert
248:U.S. Highway 95
233:Colorado Desert
213:August 22, 1975
174:
172:
168:
165:
160:
157:
155:
153:
152:
134:
133:
132:
131:
128:
127:
124:
123:
122:
105:
104:
103:
100:
99:
96:
95:
94:
72:
56:
42:
33:
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1524:
1522:
1514:
1513:
1508:
1503:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1423:
1422:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1412:
1402:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1371:
1370:
1359:
1357:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1344:
1338:
1336:
1332:
1331:
1329:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1312:
1310:
1306:
1305:
1303:
1302:
1300:Virgin Islands
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1275:American Samoa
1271:
1269:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1209:South Carolina
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1174:North Carolina
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1004:
1002:
1001:Lists by state
998:
997:
995:
994:
992:Property types
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
958:
956:
952:
951:
946:
944:
943:
936:
929:
921:
915:
914:
908:
897:
896:External links
894:
893:
892:
875:
864:
847:
837:
830:
823:
813:
790:
780:
771:
768:
766:
765:
756:
741:
723:
705:
690:
681:
669:
667:Curtis, p. 55.
660:
651:
631:
622:
613:
604:
589:
580:|journal=
546:
519:
517:
514:
513:
512:
507:
502:
495:
492:
481:
478:
460:
457:
401:
398:
370:
367:
343:
340:
294:mountain lions
252:Colorado River
215:
214:
211:
207:
206:
203:
196:
195:
190:
183:
182:
150:
146:
145:
140:
136:
135:
125:
116:
115:
109:
108:
107:
106:
97:
88:
87:
81:
80:
79:
78:
77:
74:
73:
70:
62:
61:
58:
57:
47:
44:
43:
38:
35:
34:
31:
28:
27:
20:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1523:
1512:
1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1499:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1428:
1426:
1411:
1403:
1401:
1391:
1390:
1387:
1381:
1378:
1376:
1373:
1369:
1366:
1365:
1364:
1361:
1360:
1358:
1354:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1339:
1337:
1333:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1313:
1311:
1307:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1272:
1270:
1266:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1249:West Virginia
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1154:New Hampshire
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1114:Massachusetts
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1003:
999:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
959:
957:
953:
949:
942:
937:
935:
930:
928:
923:
922:
919:
912:
909:
905:
900:
899:
895:
890:
886:
882:
881:
876:
873:
871:
865:
862:
858:
854:
853:
849:Olsen, Brad.
848:
846:
844:
838:
835:
831:
828:
824:
822:
818:
814:
812:
810:
806:
801:
800:
796:
791:
788:
786:
781:
778:
774:
773:
769:
760:
757:
752:
748:
744:
742:9780884159230
738:
734:
727:
724:
719:
712:
710:
706:
701:
694:
691:
685:
682:
676:
674:
670:
664:
661:
655:
652:
646:
644:
642:
640:
638:
636:
632:
626:
623:
617:
614:
608:
605:
600:
593:
590:
585:
572:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
547:
542:
535:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
521:
515:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
497:
493:
491:
489:
488:
479:
477:
474:
473:Interstate 10
470:
466:
458:
456:
452:
449:
445:
440:
438:
434:
430:
426:
425:mountain lion
422:
418:
415:
411:
407:
399:
397:
393:
390:
389:Edward Curtis
386:
384:
380:
376:
368:
366:
363:
359:
357:
353:
349:
341:
335:
327:
319:
315:
312:
307:
302:
299:
295:
291:
286:
284:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
236:
234:
230:
226:
222:
212:
210:Added to NRHP
208:
204:
197:
194:
191:
184:
179:
151:
147:
144:
141:
137:
113:
85:
75:
68:
63:
59:
50:
45:
41:
36:
29:
25:
19:
1214:South Dakota
1204:Rhode Island
1199:Pennsylvania
1179:North Dakota
878:
869:
851:
842:
833:
826:
820:
802:
798:
794:
784:
776:
763:Olsen, p. 99
759:
732:
726:
717:
699:
693:
684:
663:
654:
625:
616:
607:
598:
592:
571:cite journal
540:
485:
483:
462:
453:
441:
439:in Arizona.
417:oral history
410:Boma Johnson
403:
394:
387:
372:
364:
360:
345:
303:
287:
264:
260:
237:
224:
220:
218:
139:Nearest city
18:
1335:Other areas
1295:Puerto Rico
1129:Mississippi
1044:Connecticut
505:Hill figure
500:Nazca lines
444:hypothesize
437:Fort Mojave
375:Topock Maze
369:Topock Maze
342:Rediscovery
290:pictographs
270:Nazca Lines
199:CHISL
173: /
161:114°32′18″W
149:Coordinates
1425:Categories
1244:Washington
1164:New Mexico
1159:New Jersey
1034:California
779:8: 133–45.
770:References
469:Highway 95
298:zoomorphic
283:floodplain
158:33°48′01″N
1451:Geoglyphs
1254:Wisconsin
1219:Tennessee
1124:Minnesota
1099:Louisiana
872:10:257–73
836:: 208–14.
829:: 125–26.
720:: 133–45.
601:: 208–14.
543:: 125–26.
471:, at the
421:cosmology
311:quadruped
266:Geoglyphs
250:near the
240:intaglios
231:, in the
55: 101
1466:Land art
1410:Category
1239:Virginia
1189:Oklahoma
1169:New York
1144:Nebraska
1134:Missouri
1119:Michigan
1109:Maryland
1094:Kentucky
1074:Illinois
1049:Delaware
1039:Colorado
1029:Arkansas
787:, vol. 2
751:32168093
494:See also
459:Location
429:Mastamho
383:windrows
193:75000452
1511:Quechan
1356:Related
1259:Wyoming
1234:Vermont
1139:Montana
1079:Indiana
1059:Georgia
1054:Florida
1024:Arizona
1014:Alabama
874:. 1995.
400:Figures
1481:Mohave
1194:Oregon
1149:Nevada
1089:Kansas
1064:Hawaii
1019:Alaska
955:Topics
887:
859:
807:
749:
739:
467:, off
433:Kataar
406:cairns
51:
1326:Palau
1224:Texas
1104:Maine
1069:Idaho
516:Notes
448:keruk
414:Yuman
1280:Guam
1229:Utah
1184:Ohio
1084:Iowa
885:ISBN
857:ISBN
805:ISBN
747:OCLC
737:ISBN
584:help
431:and
419:and
373:The
350:and
274:Peru
238:The
219:The
845:25.
272:in
223:or
205:101
201:No.
188:No.
53:No.
1427::
819:.
745:.
708:^
672:^
634:^
575::
573:}}
569:{{
549:^
523:^
285:.
1010::
940:e
933:t
926:v
891:.
863:.
811:.
753:.
702:.
586:)
582:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
