Nevada is just full of surprises and we’re constantly discovering them all. For instance, some people go their entire lives without realizing that the oldest rock art in America is right here in the Silver State! Researchers previously believed that the oldest rock art in North America could be found in Oregon, only to be blown away when they discovered how old this little-known rock art site in Nevada is. Although the site is located within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Reservation and is closed to the public, it’s still a fascinating place to learn about. In fact, every Nevadan should be aware that the country’s oldest rock art is right here in Nevada.
Nevada is home to some fascinating reminders of the people who lived here long before it became the Silver State we know and love today. In fact, it happens to be home to some of the oldest rock art in America. This is truly a fascinating place that every Nevadan should know about.
Stumbling upon thousand-year-old petroglyphs is always a nice surprise. However, the ones located near the dry lake bed of Winnemucca Lake are special. They are considered the oldest confirmed rock carvings in North America, dating back to possibly the first peopling of the New World.
First of all, Winnemucca Lake is located in northwest Nevada and sits right next to Pyramid Lake. Although it is nothing more but a dry lake bed today, it actually held a shallow level of water up until the 1930s.
The lake bed became dried up when a dam and road were built that restricted water flow, eventually blocking it completely. At one time, the lake was designated a National Wildlife Refuge. However, its designation was revoked due to lack of water.
Currently, Winnemucca Lake's most notable feature is the collection of several petroglyphs that are believed to be between 14,800 and 10,500 years old. This makes them the oldest known petroglyphs in all of North America.
Not only are they the oldest petroglyphs in the country, but they are absolutely stunning. The art ranges from the appearance of simple lines and swirls to fully-fledged trees, flowers, and leaves. Some of them are as small as 8-inches and others are giant at around 3-feet.
Researchers were able to figure out how old the petroglyphs are by performing radiocarbon testing on the layers of carbonate build-up which formed on the boulders as the lake's level rose and dropped. We still don't know exactly how they were made, but it's generally believed that the artists used hard volcanic rock to chip away at the boulder's soft surface.
The fact that the age of these petroglyphs wasn't known until 2013 just goes to show that Nevada is full of surprises. Who knows what other ancient treasures are out there just waiting to be discovered?
