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The California Rock Art Foundation was formed in 2013.

The organization was developed as a consortium of rock art scholars who hoped to make a difference in the conservation and management of rock art in Alta and Baja California.

Board members currently include: Professor Mary Gorden, Dr. Donna Gillette, Dr. Eric Ritter, Steven Imhoof, Attorney at Law, Nicole Larsen, Former Chairperson of the Tule River Indian Tribe, and Dr. Alan Garfinkel Gold.

The Opportunity

California (both alta and baja) has one of the world’s richest rock art records.

California has one of most diverse and abundant records of prehistoric rock art in the world.

Hundreds of thousands of individual rock art elements and thousands of rock art sites are known to exist in the Californias.

The Problem

Most of the general public has no idea of the existence, value, and importance of California’s rich record of prehistoric art and religion.

Because of this lack of knowledge and understanding, many see rock art as simply old graffiti and feel it is completely acceptable to paint over, engrave their names, post pornographic pictures, vandalize and even steal these images.

The Problem

Public agencies (California Department of Transportation, Bureau of Land Management, United States Army and Navy) have spent millions of dollars on archaeology but have invested comparatively little on rock art documentation, conservation, management, protection and interpretation.

REASONS:

Rock art is under-appreciated.

Rock art is not seen as valuable.

Rock art is not properly protected.

Rock art is not scientifically inventoried and documented.

The public is not educated on the importance of California rock art

So what?

Rock Art is in fact a treasure. A non-renewable resource.

Rock Art is a scientific time capsule. We are able to view the hopes, dreams and visions of people who lived hundreds and even thousands of years ago.

Rock Art sites are considered to be wonderful landscape and cultural resources visited by tens of thousands of people.

They are viewed as sacred, religious sites by Native Americans who go and worship there or just visit them to honor their ancestors.

Scientists have used rock art resources to reconstruct prehistory, trace population movements and identify the ancient religious views of the indigenous people who lived in California over the last 10,000 years.

One of the most extreme examples of rock art vandalism and theft has taken place in California.

Several rock art panels were chainsawed off of the Chalfant Petroglyph Loop in the Owens Valley. The perpetrators acted in concert sawing and hauling off many boulders in trucks!!! They succeeded in stealing several beautiful rock art panels!

The latter incident attracted worldwide press and attention.

The authorities including the BLM collaborated and tried to investigate. The culprits have never been found!

The heightened attention may have caused the thieves to think twice and they anonymously returned the rock art boulders to the BLM.

Case Study : Chalfant Petroglyphs Theft and Vandalism

Chalfant Petroglyphs

The grossly damaged rock art blocks, with some of the most remarkable and ornate images, have not been repaired, replaced or properly assessed for restoration - due to lack of financial resources.

The first step in the process of site evaluation, repair and repatriation will be an investment of $10,000 for initial assessment.

No source for funding is available from the BLM or any other conservation, heritage organization. The Bishop Owens Valley Paiute Tribe is stewarding the study and repair of the rock art and have asked CRAF to try and find some means of funding.

Solution: Evaluation, repair, restoration

The greatest concentration of rock art in the Western Hemisphere is in the Coso Range of eastern California on the Naval Base at China Lake.

Fortunately, this unique expression of prehistoric art and religion is protected by base security associated with the development of U.S. air and missile defense systems.

Case Study : Little Petroglyph Canyon, Coso Range, China Lake

Little Petroglyph Canyon

The most visited rock art site in North America is Little Petroglyph Canyon.

This rock art site is recognized as one of the best of all places to visit in California. It is rated as the 5th most popular attraction in all of California.

Thousands of people have registered and visited the mile long canyon where there are no less than 15,000 individual rock art images.

Unfortunately, due to its popularity, the canyon and its art is being adversely affected. The natural forces of wind, water and sun and the effects of public visitation are causing some wear and tear on the canyon environs and the petroglyphs.

Case Study : Little Petroglyph Canyon, Coso Range, China Lake

Importantly, Little Petroglyph Canyon, has not had its rock art formally recorded. This task has been identified as the top priority for cultural resource management on base, but funds have not been available.

No rigorous, scientific inventory of the rock drawings has ever been completed.

A state of the art scientific study of the canyon’s rock art has been proposed by the California Rock Art Foundation and has been accepted by the base but no funding is available.

An investment of $65,000 will allow for the first phase of this project to be implemented.

Solution : Little Petroglyph Canyon,

Documentation Project

To date, there has rarely been a systematic outreach program implemented to educate the general public on the value of California’s rock art resources.

Recently, such an outreach program and a method to educate the public has been developed in association with the efforts of the California Rock Art Foundation (CRAF).

Through the auspices of CRAF, the Tehachapi Heritage League, and the work of Paul Goldsmith, ASC (Emmy and Oscar award winning cinematographer) - a one hour documentary film, Talking Stone, has been completed and is being screened throughout California.

The film has been screened over a dozen times at venues throughout the state to great acclaim.

Also the documentary film has been aired before 2 million viewers via the PBS (Public Broadcasting System).

Case Study : Talking Stone Documentary Film

Importantly, Little Petroglyph Canyon, has not had its rock art formally recorded. This task has been identified as the top priority for cultural resource management on base, but funds have not been available.

No rigorous, scientific inventory of the rock drawings has ever been completed.

A state of the art scientific study of the canyon’s rock art has been proposed by the California Rock Art Foundation and has been accepted by the base but no funding is available.

An investment of $65,000 will allow for the first phase of this project to be implemented.

Solution : Little Petroglyph Canyon,

Documentation Project

Talking Stone Documentary Film

Over 250 copies of the film have been sold throughout California and 1000 people have seen the film live and tens of thousands have viewed it on television.

However, the people who need to see the film are those in the general public and a wider distribution is needed to reach a broader audience.

If CRAF were to make the film available to public libraries (pro bono) throughout the state, our efforts could be greatly magnified and the word could and would get out.

To accomplish this distribution project would entail an investment of $10,000 for production, mailing and systematic outreach efforts.

Solution:Talking Stone Documentary Film,Distribution to Public Libraries

We invite you to contact us regarding various ways in which you might aid the California Rock Art Foundation in its mission.

We have a standing invitation for philanthropists with prior board experience who desire to help financially underwrite our major projects and organizational mission.

Board members with background in accounting, finance, marketing and business development are especially needed.

Feel free to contact the Founder and Director, Dr. Alan Garfinkel Gold at 805.312.2261 or via email at avram1952@yahoo.com

Our Personal Invitation