Native American rock art was chosen by the Utah State Legislature in 2017 to be Utah’s official works of art (Utah Code). Utah has some of the oldest rock art in America. Senator David P. Hinkins (R-Orangeville) sponsored of S.B 171. Governor Gary R. Herbert signed the bill into law on March 22, 2017. The 2017 Legislative General Session was good for Utah cultural arts. In addition to Native American rock art, the Spiral Jetty became the official State Work of Land Art.

Rock art can include a variety of forms, such as pictographs (drawings or paintings), petroglyphs (carvings or inscriptions), engravings (incised motifs), petroforms (rocks arranged in patterns), and geoglyphs (ground drawings).

What is the difference between petroglyphs and pictographs? Petroglyphs are images created by carving, chipping, drilling, or pecking into a rock face. They are often etched into dark desert varnish, a natural stain of iron and manganese oxides created by runoff and snowmelt on the sandstone cliffs. Pictographs are paintings on rock created with pigments made from hematite, charcoal, and other color-rich materials. Pictographs are typically found only in caves or other sheltered areas where they can be protected from the sun, wind, and precipitation.

Rock art can be found around the world. In 2019, UNESCO’s World Heritage List deemed sites on five continents unique, irreplaceable and authentic.