Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys [Paperback]

Albert B. Scholl Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 9, 2001

This is an "easy to read and understand" guidebook for all people interested in Indian Rock Art and Ruins.

It shows a real understanding of the earliest inhabitants of North America, who populated the Southwest from approximately 8000 B.C. to AD 1300. The author gives detailed directions to rock art and ruin sites, which were left behind by these inhabitants, in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

The book is beautifully illustrated with 23 full color photographs and 46 black and white photographs.

There are seventeen chapters on rock art sites, seven chapters on practical information such as food/cooking, camping, day hiking, photography, conditioning, etc. and three introductory chapters on prehistory and the different theories concerning the emergence and disappearance of the these archaic people, who are sometimes called the "Anasazi".

The book is educational, practical and humorous.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...can teach even the most urbanized city slicker the basics of prehistoric rock art in the West." -- Midwest Book Review, January, 2002 published for academic library systems in California, Wisconsin and upper Midwest.

"Lots of us in the Southwest have "been there, seen that" but Al Scholl has been there more often..." -- Pat Mellor, President of the Southwest Indian Museum and Past Chapter President of the Utah Statewide Archaeological Society, Foreword of Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys, April 9, 2001

"One of most interesting and informative books regarding the Southwest that I have ever read." Editorial -- Southern Utah Outdoors Newspaper, March, 2002 distributed in Utah and Nevada

"Retiree Scholl gleefully gives an artful crash course on the history of rock art and the people who created it." -- Today's Librarian, November, 2001 - distributed to 10,000 librarians nationwide.

"The book includes useful information about various sites, how to find them, amusing anecdotes, tips, advice, photographs, recipes...." -- The Bloomsbury Review, March/April, 2002

"This book tells you where to find some of the best rock art and prehistoric ruins on the Colorado Plateau." -- Utah Rock Art Research Association Newsletter, June, 2001

"This isn't just for rock-hounds. It's a user-friendly educational guide written for first time adventurers." -- National Motorist Magazine, Autumn, 2001 serving the California Motorist and Traveler.

From the Publisher

"We loved working with Al Scholl in producing Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys because:

1) he knows from personal experience what he's talking about
2) he makes us laugh
3) he's informal but informed
4) of his respect for the environment and Native America; and
5) his great photographs"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: Rainbow Pub Services; Vol. LX, No. 2 edition (April 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970468806
• ISBN-13: 978-0970468802
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,106,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, January 27, 2002

By 

apoem "apoem" (Bosque Farms, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys (Paperback)

With a sence of humor Mr. Scholl does a great job of educating others about rock art.

In an introduction chapter he discusses what rock art is and types of rock art. He discusses what rock art means and refers you to other well written books. He also provides lists of emergency equipment, camping equipment and more that you should consider taking as you begin looking at rock art.

In the next chapters he tells where to go to see rock art. He also instructs the reader about the expected behavior, tours to take, and more.

There are directions for taking pictures of rock art and explanations of clothes to wear, weather, and even a few recipes for crockpot cooking... so you can cook while you are looking and come home to a nice meal. Great!

This is a very exciting book. It made me want to jump out of my seat and go looking. The pictures are nice. His enthusiasm is catching and the format is easy to understand. Well worth the money.

Enjoy

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys, May 29, 2001

By 

Claris R Clapp (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys (Paperback)

This is a fun book and practical guide for campers and hikers who would like to see some well-known petroglyphs and pictographs and ruins on their own. The book tells you where to find some of the best rock art and prehistoric ruins on the Colorado Plateau (Southwestern U.S.); how to gather all the necessary equipment for camping out (or in a motel); the best time to take pictures at a site; and recipes to cook in a crock pot in the car while you are out and about. In his droll way, School spins some pretty funny experiences. He had me really laughing at some of his exploits.

The book leads off with a brief overview of petroglyphs and pictographs and a little history of the ancient people that inhabited the area some 6000 years ago. Scholl then gets into important vehicle advice and precautions. You then come to a well thought out, organized chapter on Food and Cooking. He lists "Basic Food" to keep on hand and cooking equipment suggestions. He has some pretty ingenious ways to make meals when you are camping out of a car or tent. (You may want to try his Carburetor Cuisine.) Then he gets into a comprehensive drug/first aid list, the necessity of physical conditioning, and photography equipment and supply suggestions. If you really want to be organized, use his lists as your base.

Once you have digested the tips on camping and surviving, you get to the part about how and where to go to find rock art and the ancient dwellings. This is divided into Chapters by state with a state map for each chapter showing approximately where the sites are. There is a description of the area, how to get to the site, the best time of year to go, type and difficulty of hike, photography tips, accommodations (both camping or motels) and his recommendations for side attractions in some areas.

Scholl gives us a practical guide - useful for young or old, as well as new and experienced campers and rock art explorers. I found some new areas I can hardly wait to visit, and with his book in hand, I am confident that I can follow his directions and be successful. Buy it! Plan your own treasure hunt.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaches even the most urbanized city slicker the basics, January 12, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners and Old Guys (Paperback)

Rock Art And Ruins For Beginners And Old Guys is a travel and field guide to more than forty major Native American prehistoric rock art sites as well as fifty other ruins and attractions that can teach even the most urbanized city slicker the basics of prehistoric rock art in the West, including where to find it, as well as how to hike, camp, and cook while making the journey. From the equipment needed on the trail to the type of vehicles that are best to drive, Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners has it all - along with descriptions and directions for many ancient, fascinating rock art sites. If you are planning on viewing rock art in the American West, begin by reading Albert School's Rock Art Ruins For Beginners And Old Guys!