L. A. Times flimflam environmental story of 1978 that has obsessed me day and night for thirty years.
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Sgt. Stephen Mckalco took this 1932 U.S. Army Air Force photo which brought the extraordinary glyphs to the public eye. In1932 there was not a mark on the glyph.
BY THE 1960S THE VERY SAME GLYPH LAY HORRIBLY MUTILATED. Nat Geo photo showing purported damage from off road vehicles
Smithsonian photo showing purported off road vehicle damage.
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HISTORICAL LANDMARK # 101
Below left: 1957 Blythe city worker examines 1932 roadside sign inviting tourists to the then pristine glyphs.
Above right: In 1932 the Department of Public Works designated the site as Historical Landmark No. 101 and placed this roadside monument marking the site for passing motorists Red arrow points to position of the glyph 4 tenths of a mile up the pictured dirt road
The same site today.
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BELOW IS ANOTHER OF SGT McKALKO'S BEAUTIFUL 1932 ARMY AIR FORCE PHOTOS
Red arrows point to tracks from scientist's first road trip to the site. Left most arrow later becomes unfenced parking lot 4 tenths of a mile from nearby highway 95. Blue arrow points to a faint prehistoric J shaped foot trail connecting to the dance circle. This later becomes significant. THE FIRST DONUTS 1952 Nat Geo photo below.
BY 1952 TWO ARTFUL AND DISTINCT DONUTS APPEAR DIRECTLY ON THE GLYPH ITSELF. No other donuts to be seen on entire site at this time --- see all other photos in Sept. 1952 National Geographic. The J shaped foot trail is not to be seen. The small animal is off camera. NOTE PARTICULARLY, THE PATHETIC ROCK BARRIER PLACED BY THE BLM TO REGULATE PARKING AT THE SITE.
UNDATED UNITED STATES NAVY PHOTO ABOUT 25 YEARS LATER. RED ARROWS POINT TO BLM STONE PARKING BARRIER NOW BREACHED COMPLETELY.
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THE SOUTHMOST GLYPH VIRGINAL IN 1932
SAME GLYPH TODAY (PUBLISHED REVERSED AND TILTED) (Not by me).
Only a government agency (probably the BLM) could have made that bulldozer cut seen above allowing motor access to this previously isolated glyph. That cut has since been closed and now very few visitors ever make the effort to walk across the wash that divides this glyph from the others. GOOGLE EARTH MAP BELOW
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE DONUTS DO NOT RESULT FROM EXCESSIVE OFF-ROADING AS LA TIMES STORY CLAIMS BUT RATHER FROM LACKLUSTER BLM IGNORANCE AND MISMANAGEMENT OVER DECADES THE BLM DID IT
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GLYPH A 1951 Drawn by Harner, summer 1951.
THE 1951 SCIENTIFIC DRAWING BY HARNER ABOVE SHOWS A SHORT J SHAPED FOOT TRAIL (BLUE ARROW) CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE DANCE CIRCLE. FOOT PATHS ARE A COMMONLY KNOWN FEATURE OF PREHISTORIC DESERT INDIAN RELIGIOUS BEHAVIOR |
GLYPH A 1952 National Geographic Magazine Sept. 1952.
ONLY ONE YEAR LATER (1952) THE FOOT TRAIL IN HARNER'S 1951 RENDERING DISAPPEARS WHILE A NEW LINEAR FOOTPATH NOW DIRECTLY CONNECTS THE ORIGINAL PARKING LOT STONE BARRIER TO THE PREHISTORIC DANCE CIRCLE AND THE VERY FIRST DONUTS APPEAR DIRECTLY UPON THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC FIGURE. NO OTHER DONUTS ON SITE --- SEE COMPLETE SET OF PHOTOS SEPT. 1952 NAT GEO.
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PERSONAL OPINION THE ANCESTORS DRIVE UP U. S. HWY. 95 ON SYMBOLIC CARS THEY GOT FROM THE ENTRANCES OF ABANDONED MINES, WELLS AND CAVES --- THEY TURN INTO THE 4 TENTHS OF DIRT ROAD TO THE PARKING LOT --- GET OUT OF THE CAR AND TAKE THE RELIGIOUS FOOT TRAIL TO THE DANCE CIRCLE AND SIMPLY DANCE --- --- I HAVE NO CLUE AS TO THE PURPOSE OF THE RELIGIOUS VEHICULAR DONUTS EXCEPT TO SAY THEY ARE RELIGIOUS AS HELL
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I HAVE A LARGE COLLECTION OF DONUT PHOTOGRAPHS LIKE THE ONE PICTURED BELOW. THE HEARTH IT ENCIRCLES IS A MODERN RELIGIOUS HEARTH ON A FEDERALLY REGISTERED AMERICAN INDIAN RELIGIOUS SITE TO BE LEFT UNNAMED.
DONUTS APPEAR ON THIS SITE (AND OTHERS) REGULARLY AND IT IS MANY OTHER DONUTS SEEN AT OTHER RELIGIOUS SITES THAT LED ME TO REALIZE THAT THE VEHICULAR IMPACTS AT THE BLYTHE INTAGLIOS WERE RELIGIOUS IN NATURE (INSIGNIFICANT FOREGROUND ITEM REMOVED BY MICROSOFT DIGITAL IMAGE, SMART ERASE TO HELP MASK SITE IDENTITY)
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WE NOW SHOW THAT CALIFORNIA DESERT INDIANS PURPOSEFULLY PLACE RELIGIOUS "DONUTS" AROUND THE GLYPHS TO THIS DAY
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COMPLETE PROTECTION DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL AROUND 1977 WHEN A CABLE BARRIER WAS PLACED ALONG THE MAIN ACCESS ROAD
PHOTO FROM THE OTHER END OF THE BARRIER LOOKING EAST TOWARD HIGHWAY 95. RED ARROW POINTS TO EFFECTIVE CABLE BARRIER. WITH THE CABLE BARRIER UP THE INDIANS DO THE BEST THEY CAN MAKING DONUTS AS CLOSE TO THE GLYPHS AS THEY CAN GET --- THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
ANOTHER DONUT IS PLACED CLOSE TO THE EAST END OF THE CABLE BARRIER LOOKING IN FROM THE HWY. --- RED ARROW POINTS TO CABLE BARRIER. BLUE ARROW POINTS TO GLYPH AT THE NOW FENCED 4 TENTHS PARKING LOT.
ACROSS THE ROAD STILL LOOKING IN FROM THE HWY. THIS DONUT HAS A RELIGIOUS HEARTH IN ITS CENTER --- CABLE BARRIER AT RED ARROW
CABLE BARRIER PUT UP IN 1977 THE 1977 CABLE BARRIER PREVENTS THE INDIANS FROM MAKING THEIR RELIGIOUS DONUTS DIRECTLY UPON THE GLYPHS, SO THEY DO THE NEXT BEST THING --- PUT THEM OUTSIDE THE CABLE BARRIER AS CLOSE TO THE GLYPHS AS THEY CAN GET AND AT THE SAME GENERAL REGULARITY OF ONE OR TWO DONUTS A YEAR THAT BEGAN AROUND 1950. (THIRD SOUTH MOST GLYPH IS OUTSIDE BARRIER TO LEFT).
CLOSE UP OF RELIGIOUS HEARTH --- BOTTOM ARROW POINTS TO CRUSHED DRINK CAN --- UPPER ARROW POINTS TO A FRAGMENT OF A CERAMIC PIPE JOINT
DETAILS OF CRUSHED CAN AND PIPE JOINT FRAGMENT --- BROKEN OFFERINGS
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