The Forgotten Artist: Indians of Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art

by Manfred Knaak

117 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1988

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indians of the Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art by Manfred Knaak. Wonderful summary of prehistoric rock art sites and their significance to Native American culture in this huge tract of desert land close to San Diego.

" The secrets of ritual, celebration, celestial events, and mystical journeys are held within the sacred rock caves of Anza-Borrego." This book holds it's own with a rather complete scientific view of this art, without becoming dry or pedantic. The excellent photographic documentation reminded me of places that I have visited and wondered about. For instance, one large rock overhang at Indian Hill has shown occupation for 6,000 years. The early midden (almost 6 foot deep) shows projectile points used with throwing sticks, whereas the last 18 inches reveals the bow and arrow technology of the past 1000 years.

For any lover of the 600,000 acre wilderness that is our blessing, this is a must read.

[Donald F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manfred was our teacher. La Rumorosa rock art is so difficult to find that it took then ranger, Manfred, who could drive to many places you have to backpack to now about 10 years to find around 15 sites. Manfred was built like a tank and even with his endurance, especially one site where the trail points up 2300 feet in less than one mile. For those that missed grade school geometry that is at least 45 degrees up. In this case the word trail is a metaphor or it would be a welcome concept, not because one actually existed. One morning many years ago, Manfred left his home or his camping site by 1-2 AM and climbed up this route in the dark, I hope he had a partner besides the mountain lions that are in this area and would be looking for an easy and slow human. We are not Borrego Rams. One time I was being tracked a few miles from here. It was nearly dark in the early morning on a similar mission, to be at Echo Rock at dawn. There was snow on the ground and then I saw the prints. I wonder what was going through Manfred's mind? At this point, what is done is done, it wouldn't matter if you were Usain Bolt. You hope the ranchers still have nice cows or steer in the mountains so the cats are well fed. He gotthere to the shelter before sun-up which even on 12/21, the Winter Solstice is very early as your horizon line is flat. As it lightened, through the convoluted eroded granite had evolved that allowed a beam of sunlight to split a red pictograph at the back of the cave or shelter in half. The effect only lasts a short time. In this shelter which is just one site in this book, there are more than 50 pictographs mostly sun symbols. My coauthor Daren has helped another researcher develop a mathematical model regarding this cave so it has many mysteries. This is one Manfred story, there are many others. He became a professor of Anthropology in Imperial County and taught with another friend of mine, David Z. Manfred your life inspired so many people. This was the only book on La Rumorosa rock art for 30 years, but it inspired a large coterie of Native Americans, healthcare professionals and other scientists to walk the deserts for nearly 15 years and there were probably 75 of us or more. With the foundational work in this book, today we have 170 sites on the United States side of the border with an equal amount in Baja. Don Liponi, Ph.D. Author of La Rumorosa Rock Art Along the Border V1-V3.